Preface to the special issue on socioscientific issues in education

In an era marked by rapid scientific advancements and profound societal challenges, the intersection of science, society, and ethics has never been more critical. Socioscientific issues (SSI) serve as a nexus for addressing these complexities, offering researchers, educators, and their students a unique framework to engage, explore, analyze and discuss from varied perspectives, real-world problems embedded in science with a sense of compassion, care and empathy regarding potential ethical impacts on others as well as on the environment. This special issue seeks to deepen our understanding of these multifaceted sociocultural challenges while promoting innovative pedagogical strategies and interdisciplinary research.