Abstract: Numerous surveys indicate that western societies are generally facing significant challenges related to scientific-related populism, especially in contentious scientific issues that involve high levels of public engagement, profound ethical implications, and issues of trust and transparency. These issues include environmental and climate matters, matters of life and medicine, data and artificial intelligence, and more. Individual attitudes towards scientific-related populism may be influenced by various personal factors, including age, gender, education level, political ideology, ethnicity, scientific interests, and media exposure. Societal attitudes towards scientific-related populism may be shaped by factors such as the politicization and commercialization of science, the relationship between the general public and scientific elites, and the diversity of expert opinions. In recent years, there have also been signs of scientific-related populism emerging in Chinese society, primarily manifested in a crisis of trust in experts. However, there are differences between Chinese and western societies in terms of the focal areas, target subjects, political dynamics, and communication media associated with scientific-related populism. In the future, it will be essential to carefully consider the varying connotations of similar concepts in different contexts, actively explore explanatory connections between classical theories and emerging phenomena, and prudently anticipate and address the potential negative consequences that scientific-related populism may bring about.

Key Words: Scientific-related populism; Trust in science; Crisis of trust in experts; Public; Elites

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