Opinions on science strong but ill-informed

Education and news media are doing little to improve the public's knowledge of topical science issues, Cardiff researchers said this week. But ignorance about science did not stop people holding strong opinions on subjects such as climate change, biotechnology, and the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.

Cardiff's school of journalism, media and cultural studies combined the results of a knowledge and opinion survey of 1,000 people with a detailed media analysis of television, newspaper, radio and magazine content.

The findings were announced to coincide with the launch of a £4.5 million Science and Society programme by the Economic and Social Research Council to examine the role of science in governance and the governance of science.