What is & isn’t science

Basic presentation for all science students. Introduces key concepts of what is and isn't science, also which general questions that scientists ask. Credit to Dr Bruce Railsbeck Univ Georgia, Dr Sheldon Gottlieb of Univ of South Alabama as well as UC Berkeley evosite.

1. What Is & IsnWhat Is & Isn’t Science?’t Science?
Ref: Dr. Bruce RailsbackRef: Dr. Bruce Railsback
Department of Geology, University of GeorgiaDepartment of Geology, University of Georgia jschmied©2012

2. What is Science?What is Science?
Science is the Science is the
concerted human effort concerted human effort
to understand, the to understand, the
history of the natural history of the natural
world & how the natural world & how the natural
world works. world works.
jschmied©2012

3. What does Science use as the basis of What does Science use as the basis of
all scientific understanding?all scientific understanding?
Science uses Science uses observable, observable,
physical evidencephysical evidence as the basis of as the basis of
all scientific understandingall scientific understanding..

4. b. and/or through b. and/or through
experimentationexperimentation … that … that
tries to simulate natural tries to simulate natural
processes under processes under
controlled conditions.controlled conditions.
benjaminsternke.typepad.com/.../f_madscience.jpgbenjaminsternke.typepad.com/.../f_madscience.jpg
http://www.physorg.com/news84027776.htmlhttp://www.physorg.com/news84027776.html
How is Science How is Science
Done?Done?
a. Science is done a. Science is done
through through
observationobservation of natural of natural
phenomena,phenomena,
jschmied©2012

5. 2 Types of Science:2 Types of Science:
Type 1:Type 1:
Observational Observational
ScienceScience
Example 1a
An ecologist studying the
distribution of Pitcher
Plants in a wetland.
Example 1b
An Ecologist
studying the growth
rate of Mink in an
island ecosystem.
jschmied©2012

6. Observational Observational
ScienceScience
Example 2Example 2
• • A geologist examining A geologist examining
the fossils in an outcrop.the fossils in an outcrop.
jschmied©2012

7. Observational Science Observational Science
Example 3Example 3
• • An astrophysicist photographingAn astrophysicist photographing
distant galaxies to determine the distant galaxies to determine the
formation of the Universe.formation of the Universe.
jschmied©2012

8. Observational Science Observational Science
Example 4Example 4
• • A climatologist sifting data A climatologist sifting data
from weather balloons on from weather balloons on
weather patterns.weather patterns.
jschmied©2012

9. 2 Types of Science2 Types of Science
Type 2:Type 2:
Experimental Experimental
ScienceScience
Example 1Example 1
A chemist observes the A chemist observes the
rates of one chemical rates of one chemical
reaction at a variety of reaction at a variety of
temperatures to see temperatures to see
what patterns emerge.what patterns emerge.
http://portal.techhigh.us/Teachers/chapariana/PublishingImages/chemistry%20lab.jpg
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/images%5CChemistryLabSRL.jpg

10. Example 2Example 2
• • A nuclear physicist A nuclear physicist
recording the results of recording the results of
bombarding a particular bombarding a particular
type of matter with to see type of matter with to see
what patterns emergewhat patterns emerge..
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/15/science/15cern.html?fta=y
Type 2:Type 2:
Experimental Experimental
ScienceScience
http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2007/05/15/science/15cern_slidetwo.html

11. Type 2: Type 2:
Experimental Experimental
ScienceScience
Example 3Example 3
• • A biologist observing the A biologist observing the
reaction of a particular tissue to reaction of a particular tissue to
various stimulants is various stimulants is
experimenting to find patterns experimenting to find patterns
too!too!
http://www.contractlaboratory.com/www/images/people/scientist_crystal.gif
http://www.kidsbiology.com/images/biologist-2.jpgjschmied©2012

12. What are all scientists What are all scientists
attempting to do?attempting to do?
Observing and Observing and
Experimenting in order Experimenting in order
to to detect patterns in detect patterns in
naturenature..
jschmied©2012
http://asunews.asu.edu/files/images/Algae.jpg
http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0008/17648/biologist.jpg

13. Two things in common Two things in common
amongst all scientists:amongst all scientists:
1. Making & recording 1. Making & recording
observations of nature observations of nature
or of simulations of or of simulations of
nature, in order to learn nature, in order to learn
more about how nature more about how nature
works. works.
2. Showing that old 2. Showing that old
ideas are wrong and ideas are wrong and
developing new ideas developing new ideas
may better explain may better explain
nature.nature.
www.puzzlehouse.com/astronomer.htm
http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=93353&rendTypeId=4jschmied©2012

14. What Isn’t Science?
Science Isn’t Art
Art is the attempt to express an Art is the attempt to express an
individual's feelings or ideas individual's feelings or ideas
about something in a way that about something in a way that
others find beautiful, graceful, others find beautiful, graceful,
or pleasingor pleasing
jschmied©2012

15. Science is the attempt to Science is the attempt to
make public and, make public and,
repeatable conclusions repeatable conclusions
about the natural world.about the natural world.
What Isn’t Science?
Science Isn’t Art
http://www.punaridge.org/doc/teacher/method/Default.htm
jschmied©2012
http://www.punaridge.org/doc/teacher/method/Default.htm

16. What Isn’t Science?
Science Isn’t
Technology
jschmied©2012
• • Science doesn't make things. Science doesn't make things.
Scientists generate knowledge. Scientists generate knowledge.
• • Engineers use scientific Engineers use scientific
knowledge to generate knowledge to generate
technology.technology.
iphone5unlock1.com
madassgamers.com

17. What IsnWhat Isn’t Science?’t Science?
Science is often Science is often
confused with Truth confused with Truth
and Certainty. Itand Certainty. It’s ’s
just not so…just not so…
Science Science IsnIsn’t’t Truth Truth
jschmied©2012
• • Most scientists seek Truth; they Most scientists seek Truth; they
don't know or generate Truthdon't know or generate Truth..
Ref: Dr. Bruce Railsback, Department of Geology, University of Georgia
Sheldon F. Gottlieb, Ph.D. Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Alabama

18. • • Scientists use evidence to Scientists use evidence to
propose and test theories, knowing propose and test theories, knowing
that future evidence may change, that future evidence may change,
revise, or even reject today's revise, or even reject today's
theories.theories.
What IsnWhat Isn’t Science?’t Science?
Science Science IsnIsn’t’t
CertaintyCertainty
Ref: Dr. Bruce Railsback, Department of Geology, University of Georgia
Sheldon F. Gottlieb, Ph.D. Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Alabama
jschmied©2012

19. • • Science and belief Science and belief
systems are very systems are very
different, in what they try different, in what they try
to do and in the to do and in the
approaches each use to approaches each use to
accomplish their goals. accomplish their goals.
What Isn’t Science?
Science Isn’t
Religion
www.christchurchstellarton.ca/
http://academics.hamilton.edu/asian_studies/home/TempleCulture.html
Ref: Dr. Bruce Railsback, Department of Geology, University of Georgia
Sheldon F. Gottlieb, Ph.D. Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Alabama
jschmied©2012

20. Science’s underlying Science’s underlying
assumptions are tested assumptions are tested
and retested using and retested using
observable physical observable physical
evidenceevidence. .
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
What Isn’t Science?
Science Isn’t Religion
Science seeks to explain Science seeks to explain
the origin, nature, and the origin, nature, and
processes of the processes of the
physically detectable physically detectable
universe.universe.
Ref: Dr. Bruce Railsback, Department of Geology, University of Georgia
Sheldon F. Gottlieb, Ph.D. Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Alabama
http://blog.baliwww.com/wp-content/photos/palasari_church_1.jpg

21. The Three Basic Questions Science
Asks….
http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/nature/I3basicquestions.shtml
#1 What’s there:
The astronaut picking up rocks
on the moon,
The nuclear physicist
bombarding atoms,
The marine biologist
describing a newly discovered
species,
The paleontologist digging in
promising strata, are all
seeking to find out…..
“What’s there?”
http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/Images/StarChild/sp
ace_level2/aldrin_big.gif
jschmied©2012

22. The Three Basic Questions Science
Asks….
http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/nature/I3basicquestions.shtml
#2 - How does it work?
A geologist comparing the
effects of time on moon rocks
to the effects of time on earth
rocks,
The nuclear physicist observing
the behavior of particles,
The paleontologist studying the
locomotion of an extinct
dinosaur, all are asking…..
“How does it work?”
jschmied©2008

23. The Three Basic Questions Science
Asks….
http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/nature/I3basicquestions.shtml
#3 How did it come to be this way?

Each of these scientists tries to
reconstruct the histories of their
objects of study.
Whether these objects are rocks,
elementary particles, marine
organisms, or fossils, scientists are
asking,
“How did it come to be this way?”
jschmied©2012

24. http://www.csb.yale.edu/userguides/graphics/ribbons/help/dna_rgb.gif
http://klabs.org/richcontent/MAPLDCon02/exhibits/rock1_medium.jpg
http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/nmml/gallery_admin/albums/cetaceans/killer/oo-48_orca.JPG