The results of the Science Barometer 2024 show Austrians' trust in science and research remains stable. 73% of respondents say they have a high level of trust in science. The figure for those who trust ‘very strongly’ or ‘strongly’ is therefore exactly the same as in 2023, and the increase of three percentage points compared to the first barometer in 2022 has been maintained.

80% also believe that research is improving our lives. By contrast, interest in science and research has declined slightly and people do not feel sufficiently informed. These are the findings of the annual survey conducted by the Gallup Institute on behalf of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (OeAW).

OeAW President Heinz Faßmann emphasises: ‘Three quarters trust science, we have to fight for one quarter. The majority of people in this country are convinced that science is something good, honest and useful. That is pleasing. However, the results of the science barometer also show a clear mandate: people in Austria want more science communication. It is crucial to make scientific findings understandable and accessible to everyone, communicating the value of evidence-based research and strengthening the dialogue between science and society.’

End of the pandemic dampens interest in science

However, general interest in scientific topics has declined slightly: within a year, it has fallen by four percentage points and currently stands at 56%. The respondents' pride in the scientific achievements of Austrian researchers has also declined slightly - from 35% in 2023 to 29%

The pollsters explain this development primarily with the end of the special phase characterised by the pandemic. During the pandemic, the visibility of science and the population's engagement with scientific topics rose sharply, but interest is now declining again. Another reason for the decline: in 2022 and 2023, Nobel Prizes were awarded to Austrians for the first time in decades, which was not the case in 2024.

Austria less science-sceptical than Germany

Compared to Germany, the Science Barometer delivers surprisingly positive results for Austria. While 73% of Austrians have great confidence in science, the figure in Germany is only 55%. The proportion of science sceptics, i.e. those who are decidedly distrustful of science, is also lower in Austria (5%) than in Germany (9%).

In contrast, the proportion of those who feel well informed about science and research is similar: 32% in Austria and 30% in Germany. Conversely, however, there are more people in Austria (28 %) who feel poorly informed than in Germany (17%).

Desire for more information about science

The urgency of increased science communication is also made clear in the current Science Barometer by the high proportion of people in Austria who think it is important to be informed about science and research: 60 per cent of the population are of this opinion.

The question of whether scientists should inform the public about their work was also clearly answered in the affirmative by 80% of respondents. Even 74% of the group of science sceptics want to be informed.

Rejection and little knowledge:Artificial intelligence

The lack of information is also reflected in the fact that the question of whether science and research are changing our lives too quickly has an increased approval rating of 47%. In 2023, only 43% were of this opinion. There is also hardly any difference between science advocates and sceptics on this question.

The topic of artificial intelligence (AI) in particular appears to be responsible for this increase among respondents. Only 10% rate AI very positively. In contrast, 32% of the population view developments in this area fairly negatively or very negatively. Although younger people tend to rate AI more favourably than older people, there is a large proportion of people in all age groups who state that they do not have enough information to form an opinion. Among the over-60s, this figure is as high as 20%. In view of the results, a constructive social debate on the risks and opportunities of AI appears to be more important than ever.

Investing in science communication

Andrea Fronaschütz, Managing Director at the Austrian Gallup Institute, also confirms: ‘More than half of the Austrian population has a high desire for information about science. A well-assessed level of information improves acceptance and trust in a topic. This often involves very specific questions that make it tangible: What relevance do scientifically confirmed results have for my life, in my everyday life, where do I have my own room for manoeuvre? During the pandemic, for example, the consequences of our own behaviour were immediately apparent and interest in scientifically based recommendations for action was therefore particularly high. In the case of climate change, on the other hand, the effect of one's own contribution is experienced as less immediate; the topic has an unmanageable number of interrelationships and influencing factors for laypeople. A contribution from science could be to make personally realisable aspects tangible.’

OeAW President Heinz Faßmann therefore emphasises: ‘We need more innovative ideas and targeted investment in communicating science. The Austrian Academy of Sciences has already launched initiatives such as the FÄKT video series, which is aimed specifically at young people and schools. It brings the latest research from all over Austria to social media in line with the curriculum, for example on the topics of AI and climate change.’

Another major project is also dedicated to communicating science: OeAW, the University of Vienna and TU Wien are currently building a centre for science communication with the support of the BMBWF. From 2027, the Science Communication Centre in the Aula der Wissenschaften will be a place of wonder, experience and discourse, promoting an intergenerational exchange with science and further increasing trust in it.

Method

The Austrian Academy of Sciences collects the Science Barometer annually. The Science Barometer 2024 was conducted by the Gallup International survey institute. A proven mix of methods was used: 1,000 online surveys (‘Computer Assisted Web Interview’) and 500 telephone surveys (‘Computer Assisted Telephone Interview’) were conducted in October and November 2024 among people aged 16 and over in Austria. The composition of the surveyed sample was weighted according to the characteristics of federal state, gender and age in order to achieve the greatest possible representativeness of the Austrian resident population.