It is one thing for scientists to agree on the evidence, but what is the gap between scientific consensus (or near-consensus) and public acceptance of these same facts?

“Asked whether genetically modified food is safe, 88 per cent of the scientists say Yes, but only 37 per cent of the public agreed. That’s a gap of 51 percentage points.

“The idea that humans are changing the climate got support from 87 per cent of the scientists and 50 per cent of the public in the U.S.”

Should animals be used in research? 89% of polled scientists said “yes”; the public?

You can read the Vancouver Sun’s reporting of the latest Pew Research Centre poll here.