As science becomes increasingly important in our daily lives, so the shortage of scientists gets greater. The number of students going to university to study pure and applied sciences is decreasing by about five per cent each year. This, in truth, leads to a drop in the number of people able to be science teachers in schools. This shortage of science teachers, unsurprisingly, leads to fewer school children studying science, and even fewer going on to university. Prominent scientists believe that one of the reasons is that science is undervalued in society; people do not discuss the latest scientific breakthrough in the same way they would discuss the latest bestseller. It could also be because scientists starting their professional lives are often poorly paid. However, some scientists think that the reason is a distrust of scientists because of the claims for "breakthroughs" and "cures" for diseases which do not actually happen. Whatever the reason, young people must be encouraged to study science. The world needs scientists.