Gender stereotypes could be playing a role in determining how engaged the scientists of the future are with their present-day scientific education.
However, far from being damaging, researchers at the University of Luxembourg discovered stereotypically feminine topics can help girls to learn, while typically masculine real-world examples help boys to grasp the theory.
When examples used in class were biased towards classically female subject areas - like cosmetic surgery, or online shopping - boys' grasp of science suffered while girls performed better.
Boys, meanwhile, outperform their female counterparts on real-world examples like the probability of a car crashing or the forces involved in launching a rocket.
In their article, published in the British Journal of Educational Psychology, the researchers write: "Scientific topics presented in a context that is stereotypically considered to be feminine are relevant for girls' gender identity."
The British Psychological Society adds that the research responds to the concern at the dwindling number of pupils currently studying to become the next generation of scientists in countries around the world.
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