The past decade has seen political polarisation – accelerated by social media’s filter bubbles and echo chambers – deepen and mutate. An ominous era of a polycrisis has shattered any remaining societal consensus. Meanwhile, powerful anti-establishment voices have stepped into the void.

The majority of scientists believe that climate change is linked to human activities, but just over half of Americans share the same belief. In the era of 24/7 real – or fake – news from multiple media channels and amid low institutional trust, it can be hard to know what to believe.

When users search for information about the climate crisis on Google, they are often shown sponsored ads from fossil fuel companies and their investors. As people seek to understand climate change and work out what their own actions should be, greenwashing is impacting their trust in brands.

Alternative forms of belief are increasingly infiltrating mainstream culture, with ‘conspiritualism’ gaining mass exposure following the storming of the Capitol Building. But who are the ‘conspiritualists’? And why might the ‘brovolution’ create problems for conventional healthcare?

Climate crisis platform Science Moms brings together trusted scientists to provide parents with expert information and resources on climate change. The self-described non-partisan group’s mission reflects a growing demand from mothers for credible sources of information on global issues.