EPJ RI Highlight - Identifying origins of anti-science sentiments for large-scale research projects

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Published on 08 June 2026

An extensive international survey reveals that only a small portion of the public has a negative perception relating to a new particle collider that could eventually be constructed at CERN. The analysis shows that their views are rooted in a mistrust in science and publicly funded projects.

Research infrastructures (RIs) are large-scale facilities that provide resources for research communities – including equipment, data archives, and communications networks. As they aim to tackle global challenges including climate change, sustainable energy, and public health, RIs are attracting increasing attention from scientists and policymakers alike.

Among the public, however, understanding of RI activities and subsequent support for public funding is often limited. So far, the factors driving these sentiments haven’t been systematically investigated, and it was unclear whether they stem from similar anti-science sentiments to those found among people who deny climate change, or in anti-vaccine movements.

Through a new study published in EPJ Research Infrastructures, Francesco Giffoni and colleagues at CSIL (Milan, Italy) and CERN (Switzerland and France), carried out a contingent value analysis, including a study of public attitudes towards a new particle collider, currently being conceived by an international collaboration hosted by CERN. The results yield valuable insights into why some members of the public would oppose such a project.

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