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Poll finds most Swiss trust science but scepticism remains

woman looking a screen with findings of human brain project
Researchers said the Covid pandemic has speeded up a shift in the use of media towards online sources. © Keystone / Laurent Gillieron

Trust in science among Swiss residents has dropped to levels observed before the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a new survey.

Online sources and instant messaging have become the preferred sources for people seeking information about science, according to the Science Barometer SwitzerlandExternal link 2022 published by the University of Zurich on Wednesday.

Fifty-nine percent of respondents said they trusted science and research to a high or very high degree, the latest poll found.

That’s down from almost 67% at the end of 2020 and 56% the previous year.

The data shows that most people in Switzerland have a positive attitude towards scientific research, says project leader Mike Schäfer. “But our findings also make it clear [that] there are certainly people who remain sceptical,” he said in a press release.

Other sources

The survey also shows that the Swiss population’s sources of information have changed in recent years. The internet, notably websites and apps of established news media, is now clearly ahead of television and print media.

Instant messenger services such as WhatsApp or Telegram gained importance as sources of information during the pandemic. On the other hand, face-to-face and live formats such as exhibitions, lecture events or public discussions were less frequented, according to the survey.

The Science Barometer Switzerland is based on telephone surveys carried out every three years. 

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