What does Germany think about radiation? 2025/26 Study : Final report ; Project 3625S72244

Abstract

The objective of this empirical survey was to gain insights into how the German public deals with radiation and radiation protection using a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods, capturing their perceptions, knowledge, and information needs regarding these topics. Specifically, the study covers issues related to both ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, providing a cross-cutting assessment of societal attitudes toward various radiation themes. These findings provide essential insights for information and communication within the field of radiation protection, as well as for the design of radiation protection concepts. This study is part of a series of surveys titled „Was denkt Deutschland über Strahlung?“ (What does Germany think about radiation?), conducted by the BfS at regular intervals of approximately two years since its inception in 2019. Following subsequent surveys in 2022 and 2024, this series continues with the current 2026 study. As the fourth survey in the series, it builds upon the results of the previous waves from 2019, 2021/2022, and 2024.