Trust in Science: A Growing Divide in the U. S.

For decades, Americans mostly agreed on one thing: science was trustworthy. But lately, that's quickly changing. People who lean left and right are now seeing science quite differently. This divide didn't happen overnight. It's been growing since the 1990s and picked up speed in 2018. What's causing this? It's not just conservatives losing trust; liberals are gaining even more of it. This split isn't explained by current theories. When trust in science differs, it makes it tougher to work together on big problems. We might start disagreeing on how to fix issues, hurting our ability to make decisions and talk about politics. The growing gap could be a sign that our views on science are becoming more personal and less about facts. It's like we're choosing to believe things based on our politics, rather than just what evidence shows. This could make everyone's views less reasonable and make it harder for us to find common ground.