Only half of Maltese believe in the theory of evolution, according to a recent European survey.

Just 54% of respondents in Malta agreed with the statement: “human beings, as we know them today, developed from earlier species of animals,” according to the results of a recent Eurobarometer survey.

And fewer Maltese appear to believe in evolution than they did four years ago; the proportion agreeing with the statement had dropped by 20 percentage points since the last survey in 2021, the biggest drop across the EU. 

Almost four in 10 (38%) Maltese categorically disagreed that humans had developed from earlier species, believing it to be false, while just under one in 10 (8%) said they did not know. 

Only four countries – Romania, Latvia, Cyprus and Slovakia – believed in evolution less than the Maltese, with just 46% of Slovakians agreeing with the statement. 

The idea that human beings developed, or evolved from other species was first proposed by English scientists Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace in the 19th century. 

The theory proposes that all creatures on the planet – including human beings – developed through a process of natural selection, with successful traits being passed down to the next generation, leading to larger changes over long periods of time. 

The poll questioning respondents about a cure for cancer.

Human beings are believed to share a common ape ancestor with chimpanzees, which is believed to have lived between six and eight million years ago. The theory of evolution is overwhelmingly accepted by scientists. 

The Eurobarometer survey found respondents in Sweden (88%), Denmark (85%) and Spain (79%) were most likely to believe that humans developed from earlier species of animals. 

Overall, the Maltese seemed well-informed about many scientific issues, correctly answering most of the questions posed by the survey.

The poll tried to establish the impact of conspiracy theories.

Malta was among the countries where people were least likely to believe that human beings once existed at the same time as the dinosaurs, or that climate change was a natural process not influenced by human activities. 

However, almost half (48%) of respondents in Malta incorrectly thought that antibiotics kill viruses as well as bacteria, while just over half (55%) incorrectly believed the world’s population to be above 10 billion.

The world population reached eight billion in 2022 and is not expected to reach 10 billion until 2080.

41% think cancer cure is being kept hidden

Meanwhile, the Eurobarometer survey revealed some interesting insights into Malta’s belief in conspiracy theories.

The survey found that two in every five respondents (41%) believe a cancer cure exists and is hidden from the public for commercial interests, while a quarter (26%) believe viruses have been created in government labs to control people. 

Overall, the report noted that incorrect answers to scientific questions have become more prevalent across Europe since 2021, with only one in 10 respondents answering more an eight of out 10 questions correctly. Around a quarter were able to provide less than five correct answers. 

Most Europeans said they feel well informed about environmental issues, just over half feel well informed about new technological and medical breakthroughs and only a third feel confident in their knowledge of artificial intelligence.

In total, just over 34,000 people across Europe took part in the survey, which was conducted between September and October last year.