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The current Flash Eurobarometer on “Young People and Science” (No 239), requested by the Research Directorate-General, was conducted to determine young people's interest in science and technology, their views on various topics and their plans for future involvement in the scientific domains. Although the current survey builds on these earlier surveys, it is different in various ways: Flash Eurobarometer 239 has focused on interviewing young people (aged between 15 and 25), the questionnaire has been re-designed and telephone interviews have replaced face-to-face discussions.

In detail, the survey examined young people's:

• Interest in news in general and science and technology topics in particular;
• Views about science, scientific research, scientists and the need for more coordination and expenditure in the EU;
• Awareness and interest in various scientific innovations;
• Opinions about the health risks linked to various scenarios and their thoughts about the future;
• Plans for studying (or not) scientific topics in the future.