Science News & Information

While there are many reasons that Americans get science news, the most common driver of attention to science news is curiosity, according to a 2017 Pew Research Center study. But people are also motivated to seek out science news for different reasons depending on the issues they care about most, with the environment being a prime example.

The U.S. has more foreign students enrolled in its colleges and universities than any other country in the world. Explore data about foreign students in the U.S. higher education system.

Where do Americans go to stay informed about science topics? Here are some key takeaways about Americans’ science news habits today.

Overall, 36% of Americans get science news at least a few times a week and three-in-ten actively seek it. Most get science news from general news outlets, but more see specialty sources as being accurate.

People’s level of science knowledge helps to a degree to explain their beliefs about climate and energy issues, but it depends on their partisanship.

Many Americans are distrustful of information provided by the food industry on GM foods, and those who are concerned about GM food issues are especially skeptical.

While a majority of Americans encounter conflicting news stories about food and healthy eating, most see it as a sign of continued progress in food science.

This type of chart is growing more popular, but just half of those with a high school education or less correctly interpreted one in our science quiz.

When asked a series of 12 science-related questions, whites, on average, fared better than blacks or Hispanics. What's behind this knowledge gap?