WHAT IS SCIENCE?
Evidence = Facts, Data
Scientific explanations are based on data
collected during experiments
Every new discovery leads to more research
Even accepted theories are reevaluated
and researched
• Sometimes new research supports the
theory…other times it does not
• What do you think happens when a
scientist discovers new information that the
theory cannot explain???
Observations and data not consistent
with a theory are NOT just thrown out or
“swept under the rug”…
If something does not fit current
understanding, then scientists research
it further
Theories can be modified or thrown
out, but never proven true
Scientists constantly challenge accepted
theories by looking for new information that the
theories cannot explain
Scientists also challenge and debate each
other’s ideas
Scientists use standard experimental procedures,
i.e. the scientific process
Again, they have A LOT of data to back up their
claims
• They draw conclusions on evidence alone
• No bias, no opinion
• Objective!
Have you ever edited a classmate’s paper?
Scientists do the same thing. They edit other
each other’s work.
• Peer review ensures that:
• Scientific method was used correctly
• The experiment is repeatable
• Data is accurate
• No bias or opinion
If a scientist’s work is approved by peers, then it can
be published in a scientific journal
• Remember that scientists:
• Check each other’s work
• Repeat experiments looking for
new information to explore
• The metric system is common scale,
every scientist uses it.
• Since everyone uses it, they can
easily check each other’s work by
repeating experiments
SI Units
 International System of Units
 In a science class you will NEVER see feet, miles,
inches, Fahrenheit, Ounces, Pounds.
 A Scientist will instead use meters, Celsius,
Grams, and Liters
How do I know which one to
use
 If you are measuring:
 Time: Seconds
 Mass: Gram
 Volume: Liter
 Length: Meter
Metric Prefixes
What do you mean there are
different kinds of data?
 Data collected is classified into one of two forms
 QUALitative data: Describes the characteristics of the
object (Example: Color, Texture, Smell)
 QUANtitative data: Describes the numbers of the
object (Example: Height, Area, Volume, Weight)
Practice:
 The worm is 13 cm long
 The sky is blue
 The type of plant
 The bird is 4 years old
 The plant has 7 flowers
 The nest has 2 eggs
 The nest has robin eggs
 The senior class is
responsible
 The senior class has 472
students
 The coffee is hot
 The coffee is 62°C
 The cow is brown
 The cow has 4 brown
spots
Science vs. Pseudoscience
Characteristics of Science
• Studies the natural world
• Relies on large amounts of data to arrive at
conclusions
• Constantly reevaluated to see if similar results are
obtained
• Scientists question results and are open to debates
• Challenges accepted theories
• Unbiased
• Undergoes peer review
Characteristics of Pseudoscience
• Concerns the natural world
• Driven by cultural or commercial goals
• Research is conducted to prove that
something is right. Biased!
• Discards observations that are not consistent
with beliefs
Characteristics of Both

Both make claims about the world.

Both gather data to make claims.
Examples of Pseudoscience
•
•
1. Astronomy and Space Sciences
•
a. 2012 millenarianism
•
b. Astrology
•
c. Lunar effect
2. Earth and Earth Sciences
•
•
a. The Bermuda Triangle
3. Energy
•
a. Perpetual motion
More Examples
•
•
4. Psychology
•
a. Attachment therapy
•
b. Parapsychology
•
c. Phrenology
•
d. Polygraphy
•
e. Subliminal advertising
5. Health and Medicine
•
a. Eugenics
•
b. Biorhythms
•
c. Body memory
•
d. Magnet therapy
•
E. rumpology
Even More Examples
•
6. Paranormal
•
a. Cryptozoology
•
b. Extra-sensory perception (ESP)
•
c. Ghost hunting
•
d. Ufology