I pulled this from an article in Nature (DOI: 10.1038/NCLIMATE1295): Only about 20% of US citizens are scientifically literate, as defined by the ability to read and understand science news in The New York Times. A recent study found that most US citizens have limited climate literacy. When people are unable or unwilling to weigh the evidence on an issue to develop their own reasoned opinions, they rely instead on cognitive heuristics - mental short-cuts - to guide their decision-making. The opinions of trusted sources provide just such a short-cut, and surveys show that scientists are one of the most trusted sources of information on climate change.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Sep 2014 17:52:02 +0000
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