Studies show it again and again: when it comes to trust and interest in science, Austria is not at the forefront when it comes to international comparison. “There is actually a certain level of scientific skepticism and a certain lack of interest in science,” says Johannes Starkbaum, Research Group on Technology, Science and Social Transformation at the Institute for Advanced Study (IHS).
The reasons why many people don’t get much out of science are varied: “There are different ways the terms knowledge and everyday science are defined. The line is often blurry,” says Starkbaum. “Everyday life is often not connected to science or the image of science is idealized,” says Starkbaum. “Anyone who believes that science produces a single truth is first disappointed, and then skeptical when he realizes that this is not the case.”
Introducing science into daily life
For Barbara Streicher, managing director of ScienceCenter Network, lack of everyday relevance and unfamiliarity with science are also major reasons for declining interest in science. “Many people don’t know scientists or don’t know how scientific processes work,” says Streicher, drawing attention to the important task of communicating science: “It’s about making it clear that science is not an opinion, but about theses and ideas.” Theories. Those interpretations are derivative that can be confirmed, expanded, or even dissolved.
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