Study: Conservatives Distrust Science

So it’s not just Rick Santorum. A study released on Thursday shows that conservatives’ mistrust of science is at an all-time low, while liberal and moderate support has remained flat since 1974. According to the poll conducted by UNC-Chapel Hill sociologist Gordon Gauchat, just 35 percent of conservatives said they had a “great deal of trust in science.” Gauchat said many conservatives equate science with the government, and the rebellion against the “elite” has dominated the distrust in science. Climate change and evolution are the two issues that cause the largest rift between conservatives and the scientific community.