Large-scale research infrastructures (RIs) are attracting increasing attention from both scientists and policymakers in response to global challenges such as climate change, sustainable energy, public health, and emerging technologies, including quantum computing and artificial intelligence. However, the level of public understanding and support for the broader missions of research infrastructures, particularly those focused on fundamental science, remains uncertain. This study investigates the widespread of anti-science attitudes among citizens and explores the factors that drive such attitudes. To provide evidence on the topic, this study presents the results of a cross-national, representative survey (n = 10,448) conducted across nine European and non-European countries to assess public perceptions, towards a large-scale particle collider to be built in the 2030s and managed by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). Our primary contribution lies in the decomposition of absence of public support. While support for the infrastructure is robust (66%), we examine the 34% of respondents reporting a zero willingness to pay (WTP). By isolating “protester” motives from other drivers, we identify a distinct subgroup of opponents who frequently report high levels of education, a strong interest in science, and above-average income. This finding challenges the traditional “knowledge deficit model”, which posits that scientific opposition stems from a lack of information. Instead, our results indicate that deeper cultural factors, including mistrust of scientific institutions and perceived scientific elites, play a greater role in driving this opposition. Our study highlights the need for more inclusive participatory research agendas and discusses generalisability of results.
Francesco et al. (Mon,) studied this question.