It is apparent that, now more than ever, society’s well-being, progress, and survival will require ‘scientifically literate’ citizens, as science and technology become increasingly interwoven with our daily lives. While this interrelationship may not always be front of mind, the centrality of technology in the modern world becomes particularly evident during crises. Furthermore, new technologies and scientific progress always bring up ethical questions (currently, this is exemplified by generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), genome editing, and vaccination), and it will become even more crucial for upcoming generations to learn how to recognise and navigate these ethical considerations. This ALLEA Statement argues that primary and post-primary science education play a key role in supporting all young learners in gaining insight into how the natural sciences are integral to our everyday lives, thereby contributing to their development into informed and active citizens. It advocates for strengthening the role of science education curricula in improving societal understanding of the Nature of Science (NOS) and encouraging learning on how to identify, comprehend, and navigate related ethical dilemmas among the wider public, which will enable the creation of a scientifically literate society. Key recommendations include incorporating learning outcomes related to the NOS and research ethics into primary and post-primary science curricula, the integration of NOS and research ethics pedagogies into existing curricula and in initial teacher education (ITE) and continuous professional learning (CPL) programmes for teachers, among others.