🌅 Nearly All Americans Rely on Federal Science

SOURCE

Association of Science and Technology Centers

WHAT TO KNOW

• A new survey by the Association of Science and Technology Centers found 94% of Americans say they rely on federal science data on a weekly basis, including weather forecasts, food safety warnings, and economic reports. The survey also found 72% of respondents agree with the statement “science benefits people like me” and 92% believe federal investment in STEM education is important for U.S. economic prosperity.

WHY IT MATTERS

• The Trump administration has cut federal science funding to its lowest level in at least 35 years, reducing grants by 51% compared to the average funding levels from 2015 to 2024. Experts say the cuts will reduce GDP by around 3.8%, a decline similar to that of the Great Recession from 2007 to 2009.

CONNECT THE DOTS

• Earlier this month, the E.U. announced its new “Choose Europe for Science” campaign, unveiling a $565 million investment package designed to attract foreign scientists and researchers to the E.U. (France will also invest an additional $100 million on its own). The move comes not long after survey data from Nature found 75% of U.S. scientists are considering leaving the country following Trump’s budget cuts, while applications by non-American candidates for American research jobs have also fallen by around 25% compared with the same period last year.