science literacy

" If facts don’t fit the Theory , change the Facts . “, quoted Albert Einstein demonstrating the significance of theories in scientific research and discovery . but alas, now a days the word theory is being wildly misrepresented and misunderstood by the masses . i believe that, to have a better understanding of how science works one must at least have the basic understanding of the role that theories and laws play in scientific research .

science is the art of discovering the unknown . it is mankind's best explanation of how the universe works . a theory is not just an idea .it is what scientists work for , a large body of continually refined observations , inferences and testable hypotheses . a theory is the fundamental unit of science and can hence sometimes can hold more weight than a fact . But one must not mistake theory for being the absolute truth . A good theory should always be ready to admit that it is wrong in the light of contradictory evidences . that is why the theory is tested again and again .

A law on the other hand is a set of mathematical rules that govern how the universe works according to " our " understanding . a law is considered almost a fact but can also be revised if contradictory evidence is presented however it resists change more than a theory Does . both scientific laws and theories work hand in hand . a law helps us to make accurate predictions so that a theory could be tested and strengthened . this can be seen in the following examples

The presence of planet neptune was a theory based on Newtons law of Gravitation . the law helped scientists predict the presence of the Ninth planet in our solar system .Also Dark matter is a theory based on the laws of relativity . the laws of relativity suggest the presence of unseen matter throughout the universe . this is how a law helps us to predict and those predictions turn into theories when thoroughly tested multiple times .

Curiosity is what sets humans aside form all the other species on planet earth . we have spent centuries developing and refining these methods of scientific research . History is full of examples of great minds that were able to uncover the mysteries of universe demonstrating how several human characteristics are necessary in development of these ideas .

Vera Rubin was an american astronomer born in late 1920's . she experienced great adversity while trying to progress in the field of astrophysics due to a very gender biased and chauvinistic society . she was denied good education , respect and even access to Data which made her research even harder .  However she overcame all these obstacles showing determination , perseverance and dedication towards her field while still  taking care of all her personal responsibilities and raising children . She ultimately made great contribution in the Discovery of Dark matter and broadened our view about the unseeable  universe .

A big misconception about science is that scientists usually work alone , whereas  i believe science is more of a social endeavor rather than being a solo mission .. Le Verrier's calculations were used by astronomers in the Berlin observatory to locate the planet Neptune . this Discovery provides evidence of how Collaboration between scientists of different countries and scientific  fields is necessary and very beneficial for the advancement science .

we humans as a species can be very competitive with each other and sometimes when the competition is healthy it can give great results . when people were trying to estimate the age of the planet earth , Intelligent minds of both sides - Naturalists and Chronologists gave their opinions , gathered evidences and argued using different methods . these debates gave birth to the field of Geology . hence healthy Competition among scientists is crucial to expand our minds about how nature works .

In all i believe that Observing , hypothesizing , testing and theorizing combined with all the human characteristics of Curiosity , creativity , perseverance , collaboration and competition is how science ultimately works . it makes us rational beings with the ability to think critically and gives us the ability to TRY to decode the universe and its infinite mysteries .