SCIENCE & ENGINEERING INDICATORS

Climate change: Any distinct change in measures of climate lasting for a long period. Climate change means major changes in temperature, rainfall, snowfall, or wind patterns lasting for decades or longer. Climate change may result from natural factors or human activities. Global warming is often the focus of climate change discussion (Royal Society and U.S. National Academy of Sciences 2014).

Genetically engineered (GE) food: A food product containing some quantity of any GE organism as an ingredient. Also sometimes called genetically modified food, genetically modified organisms, or agricultural biotechnology. Genetic engineering involves purposefully altering the genetic code (DNA, RNA, or proteins) of an organism. This is typically done in order to obtain a trait such as pest, drought, or herbicide resistance that could not be readily achieved using conventional breeding techniques (U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2016a).

Global warming: An average increase in the Earth’s temperature. Increases in temperatures in the Earth’s atmosphere can contribute to changes in global climate patterns. Global warming can be considered part of climate change along with changes in precipitation, sea level, and so on (Royal Society and U.S. National Academy of Sciences 2014).

Greenhouse effect: Atmospheric gases such as carbon dioxide trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere. Increases in the concentration of these gases contribute to global warming (Royal Society and U.S. National Academy of Sciences 2014).

CRISP: China Research Institute for Science Popularization

GE: genetically engineered

GM: genetically modified

GSS: General Social Survey

NASEM: U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

NSB: National Science Board

NSF: National Science Foundation

S&T: science and technology