Darwin Survey reveals divided Britain in attitudes towards evolution

The British Council, the UK’s international body for cultural relations, announced the results from its major international survey at the World Conference of Science Journalists (WCSJ) in London on Tuesday 30 June, 2009, as part of its international programme Darwin Now to mark the publication of Charles Darwin’s groundbreaking work On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection on 24 November, 1859.

It showed that nearly a quarter (23%) of those who live in London believe in creationism - i.e. life on Earth, including Human life was created by a God and has always existed in its current form - thereby rejecting evolutionary theory, compared to a nationwide average of 16 percent.

There were fairly high levels of awareness of Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution across England, Scotland and Wales; with 45 percent of adults surveyed saying they have heard of the British Victorian naturalist and know at least a little about his theory of evolution. The results also revealed that one-in-five British adults surveyed had not spent any time thinking about the origins of species and life on earth, which rises to more than a third of those resident in Scotland (34%).

By contrast, twenty percent of those surveyed who live in London said they had never heard of Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution whereas approaching a half (48%) agreed that there was enough scientific evidence to support his evolutionary theory.

The majority of those surveyed who live in the South of England (67%) felt that they had at least a fairly good understanding of the term evolution with a further 26 percent having some understanding. By contrast, 23 percent of adults who live in the North of England said that they have no understanding or have never heard of the term evolution.

Overall, just over half (54%) of those surveyed across Great Britain agreed that it is possible to believe in a God and still hold the view that life on Earth, including human life, evolved over time as a result of natural selection; against 19 percent who disagreed.

Head of the British Council Darwin Now programme, Dr Fern Elsdon-Baker, said: ‘This survey has thrown up some very interesting regional variations which shows that there is significant need for education and debate about the theory of evolution. The contribution that Darwin has made to evidence-based science fundamentally underpins modern biology and is of huge importance, as is the need to address how his ideas are communicated and debated alongside other perspectives. Ultimately, this survey highlights the role that science can play in society as a point of reference for debate that should be respectful of people’s views and beliefs.’

The research, conducted by Ipsos MORI, surveyed over ten thousand adults across ten countries worldwide including Argentina, China, Egypt, India, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Great Britain and the US.

A separate survey has been made available by the British Council, for completion by the general public in each of these countries. This can be found by visiting: www.zoomerang.com/Survey/survey.zgi?p=WEB229CD3MTHT5 Over the coming months, this survey will create the largest data set ever gathered on the public’s understanding of evolutionary theory.

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For more information and to request a copy of the survey results, please contact, Tony Stephenson, Adam Michael, or Benjamyn Tan on +44 (0) 20 7457 2020 or email darwinnow@collegehill.com

About Darwin Now

Darwin Now is the British Council’s contribution to the international celebration of the 200 year anniversary of Darwin’s birth (on the 12th February) and the 150 year anniversary of the publication of ‘On the Origin of Species’ (on the 24th November). Through this international programme of activity the British Council is seeking to engage new audiences, to make Darwin’s theory of evolution relevant to their lives, and to encourage involvement and debate. Darwin Now will look at the impact of Darwin’s ideas and their impact on contemporary biology, medicine and society.  It comprises a year long programme of activity including outreach work and exhibitions in schools and further education colleges, a mobile exhibition, interactive website with and supporting workshops.  The campaign is expected to run in up to 50 countries worldwide, including the regions of Europe, North Africa, East Asia, America and Latin America. 

In the UK, highlights include the British Science Association, Festival of Science in September, and a youth summit involving 60 students from around the world, which will be held at the Natural History Museum in July.  The programme culminates in the “Alexandrina Conference” a three day international conference on evolution and society, which will be held at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Alexandria, Egypt between 14th-16th November 2009. For more information, please go to http://www.britishcouncil.org/darwin

The survey in Great Britain was conducted by Ipsos MORI between 3rd April and 9th April 2009. 973 interviews were completed amongst a nationally representative quota sample of adults aged 18 and over on an omnibus survey. Interviews were conducted face-to-face in the respondent’s home. Results have been weighted to the known population

About British Council 

The British Council, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2009, works in more than 100 countries worldwide to build engagement and trust for the UK through the exchange of knowledge and ideas between people. During 2008, the British Council reached over 128 million people worldwide through a range of cultural programmes involving the arts, education, science, sport and governance. For more information, please go to www.britishcouncil.org

About MORI

Ipsos MORI, part of the Ipsos Group, is a leading market research company in the UK with an extensive global reach. The Ipsos network covers more than 55 countries across the globe, providing clients with the best service in five key specialisms. For more information, please visit the Ipsos MORI website at www.ipsos-mori.com.