According to the survey, the technologies under development, especially solar energy and artificial intelligence, the reduction of infectious diseases and vaccinations will have a positive impact on life over the next twenty years. The scientific and technological interest of respondents has grown even more in health and medical care, as well as in the fight against climate change. Respondents’ interest in new medical discoveries has increased, from 82 percent to 86 percent since 2010, MTI writes.
Europeans have a positive view of scientists and consider intelligence (89 percent), reliability (68 percent) and cooperation (66 percent) as their hallmarks. More than two-thirds (68 percent) say researchers need to intervene in policy discussions to ensure decisions are made based on scientific evidence.
The survey found that the majority of respondents gain knowledge of scientific and technological developments from television (63 percent), secondarily from social networks and online blogs (29 percent), and from online or print media (24 percent). The majority consider it right not to involve scientists only in research and innovation, and see this as the key to science and technology that is grounded in societal needs and values (61 percent).
Nearly three-quarters of respondents (72 percent) believe that governments need to ensure that new technologies benefit everyone, and even more (79 percent) agree that governments should encourage action on climate change, and private companies.
