Conservatives and liberals united only by interest in dinosaurs, study shows

Can an interest in science unite a divided society? No, concludes research based on reading habits of those from right and left of the political spectrum

Hopes that science and its unending quest for the truth can mend the cracks in a divided society have taken a hit as new research has found liberals and conservatives share little common ground on the subject – apart from a fascination with dinosaurs.

Because science intends – in theory at least – to accrue facts from solid evidence, it stands a chance of bringing people together on issues they all agree with, such as the Earth circling the sun, and the first five digits of pi. That, the hope goes, might help reverse the social fragmentation that increasingly pits different groups against one another.

Related: Liberal bias: science writing's elephant in the room?

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