January 20, 2026

expert reaction to Public Attitudes to Science 2025

Scientists comment on the ‘Public Attitudes to Science 2025‘ report. 

Dr Alicia Greated, Executive Director of the Campaign for Science and Engineering (CaSE), said:

“It is vital that the R&D sector strengthens its relationship with the public; if this connection is weak, it poses a real risk to long-term political buy-in.

“Public Attitudes to Science 2025 confirms that the public values science, but does not feel it benefits society equally, or on a personal level. Crucially, the study emphasises a clear course of action: making R&D more tangible, more open and more representative of the society it serves.

“Many of the findings resonate with those of CaSE’s Public Attitudes to R&D 2025, which found that, despite high levels of instinctive support for R&D among the public, its benefits feel vague, hard to articulate and not relevant to their lives. We look forward to working with UKRI, BSA and others in the R&D community to put the insights from these complementary studies into action.

“We will be discussing this in more detail at CaSE’s Reimagining R&D conference on 10 February, where a panel will bring together representatives from Public Attitudes to Science, CaSE, and Universities UK to consider how public attitudes will help shape the future of R&D.”

Katherine Mathieson, Director of The Royal Institution, said:

“This important survey tells us that people want to see and hear more about science than they currently do. Yet with huge changes in where people find their information and who they trust, we need to do things differently.

“We need to take science to where the audience is; to meet people’s appetite for more interesting science that’s easier to understand and easier to find. And we need more storytelling from real scientists, from a wider range of relatable backgrounds, who are supported and valued for sharing their research and innovation with the public.

“As science and technology continue to shape our world, this survey highlights a golden opportunity to bring scientists and the public together, to safeguard the UK’s future as a global leader and ensure nobody feels left behind by progress.”

Mark Henderson, executive director of corporate affairs and engagement at Wellcome, said:

“Without trust, the power of science to improve health will be limited, so it’s encouraging that the public continues to value it.

“But there are clear signals that we can’t take that trust for granted. Many people feel less informed or disconnected from science. 

“Science alone doesn’t build trust. We need to communicate in ways that resonate with the values that people hold, and listen to their experiences of science.  

“Wellcome is committed to fostering those conversations so the benefits of science are felt equitably across society.”

Tony McBride, Director of Policy & Public Affairs at the Institute of Physics (IOP), said:

“The public clearly values science, but this survey shows understanding and trust cannot be assumed.

“To fully unlock science’s potential and close the skills gap we need more people to be actively involved in what we do, including those from under-represented groups. So, all of us in the physics community must be as open and engaging as possible to involve the public – no matter their background – in the amazing stories and benefits delivered by our science.

“Whether it’s developing jobs in industry, breaking new ground in medicine, pushing back the boundaries of discovery or creating growth in the economy, physics has an incredible story to tell and we need to be out there telling it.”

Prof Sir Paul Nurse FRS FMedSci, President of the Royal Society, said:

“Scientists remain one of the more trusted groups in society but we have to work harder to maintain that trust in a rapidly changing world. Well established and well supported technologies such as vaccines are being challenged by misinformation and emerging technologies like AI are leaving people confused and worried about the pace of change and who is benefiting from it.

“Scientists have to continue to earn trust and to do that we have to engage with the public, being open and transparent and doing all that we can to ensure that our research is being used for the benefit of all.” 

Prof Andrew Morris PMedSci, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences, said: 

“This survey reveals a troubling disconnect – whilst the public values science, confidence that scientific advances benefit people personally is declining. A third of people believe advances help the rich more than the poor, rising to nearly half among those struggling financially.

“This isn’t just perception – it’s reality in medical science. Patients in London are 10 times more likely to receive cutting-edge stroke treatment than those in the East of England. 1.2 million patients are missing out on medicines that NICE already recommends. Health innovation too often reaches wealthy areas first, widening inequality rather than narrowing it.

“The survey also shows declining confidence that information about science is ‘generally true’ – down from 50% to 40% since 2019. In an era of health misinformation, this matters enormously. Health is universally what matters most, which is why trustworthy information and life-saving advances must reach every community, not just the privileged few.”

Prof Dame Til Wykes FMedSci, Professor of Clinical Psychology and Rehabilitation at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, said:

“The public are discriminating about science. While recognising that science provides clear benefits, like vaccines, they also differ across different aspects of science.”

“They also reflect the views of scientists themselves who see some benefits in AI but are clear about the potential harms especially about Generative AI. More of these harms have been uncovered in the last year. This is clear in the use of AI software to help with mental health issues as they seem to encourage, not improve depressive thoughts. To increase trust, we should use precautionary principles in development and demand guardrails. This should help to make the best use of a promising technology.”

Dr Doug Brown, CEO of the Royal Society of Biology, said:

“The survey has shed an important light on public attitudes to science at a pivotal time, and we welcome the commitment to follow up with at least two subsequent rounds.

“We’re delighted to see that over 80% of respondents think scientists make a valuable contribution to society and that there is an uptick in people engaging with science.

“For future generations of scientists, however, it is dismaying to see that young people are more ambivalent about the role of science and that more are being put off science by their experiences at school. It is also a concern that women are less likely to feel engaged in science than men.

“The Royal Society of Biology and other learned societies play a vital role in addressing these challenges. Our aim is to ensure that science is for everyone, and that we secure a pipeline of future scientists, in addition to equipping all young people for modern life by providing relevant and engaging school curricula that give them essential skills and get them excited about the critical role science plays in society.”

Hetan Shah, Chief Executive of the British Academy, said:

“Our research on trust in science for policymaking shows that people value clear explanations of the science behind policy decisions.

“We also saw that those communicating science should acknowledge uncertainties in evidence and gaps in knowledge to help build trust with the public. The decline in this area in recent years could be partly related to policymakers not having done this as well as they could have during the Covid pandemic. Our research also suggests that lower trust in science can be tied to a wider mistrust in politics.”

Prof Helen Roy, an ecologist at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH), said:

“Many people are aware that we are facing multiple global environmental crises. Climate change, land and sea-use change, over exploitation of natural resources, pollution and invasive species are recognised as major causes of biodiversity loss. 

“The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework sets ambitious targets to halt and reverse biodiversity loss and for ‘living in harmony with nature’. It is critical to engage everyone, everywhere to achieve these aims. Sharing inspiring science stories while acknowledging and carefully explaining uncertainties is critical.

“Connecting people to nature – for example through engagement with scientific developments informing actions to mitigate the effects of ongoing environmental change – is essential. The Public Attitudes to Science survey can help guide engagement activities going forward. Inspiring people through science is so important if we are to meet the ambitious global targets and inclusively ensure benefits for people and nature.”

‘Public Attitudes to Science 2025’ will be published at 00.01 UK time Tuesday 20 January 2026. 

Declared interests

Helen Roy: “No interests to declare.”

Alicia Greated: “None to declare”

No other interests declared.

This Roundup was accompanied by an SMC Briefing.