Table 3 Contexts in scientific literacy
Personal | Local/National | Global | |
|---|---|---|---|
Health and disease | Maintenance of health, accidents, nutrition | Control of disease, social transmission, food choices, community health | Epidemics, spread of infectious diseases |
Natural resources | Personal consumption of materials and energy | Maintenance of human populations, quality of life, security, production and distribution of food, energy supply | Renewable and non-renewable natural systems, population growth, sustainable use of species |
Environmental quality | Environmentally friendly actions, use and disposal of materials and devices | Population distribution, disposal of waste, environmental impact | Biodiversity, ecological sustainability, control of pollution, production and loss of soil/biomass |
Hazards | Risk assessments of lifestyle choices | Rapid changes (e.g. earthquakes, severe weather), slow and progressive changes (e.g. coastal erosion, sedimentation), risk assessment | Climate change, impact of modern communication |
Frontiers of science and technology | Scientific aspects of hobbies, personal technology, music and sporting activities | New materials, devices and processes, genetic modifications, health technology, transport | Extinction of species, exploration of space, origin and structure of the universe |