Bio H - Nature of science

10 important questions on Bio H - Nature of science

How do scientists conduct research?

Scientists have several ways to research a topic. They could do experiments, run surveys, analyze work that has already been done, or do a case study. A case study is an intensive study of a group, an incident, or a community. For example, one scientist conducted a case study on college football players and their exercise routines and nutrition habits. The results of the case study showed that athletes may have risk factors associated with heart disease and diabetes.

How does science expand knowledge?

Science is guided by research that results in a constant reevaluation of what is known. This reevaluation process leads to new knowledge. It also leads to new questions that require more research.

What is science in everyday life?

Science is not limited to the laboratory. It is all around you. Many popular television shows about crime are based on forensics—the field that uses science to investigate crime. The media is filled with information on medical advances, new scientific discoveries, and new technologies.
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What happens when scientists disagree?

Scientists welcome debate. Disagreements among scientists often lead to further investigation. Science advances when new discoveries are added to the existing body of knowledge. For example, scientific research has dramatically increased our understanding of metabolic syndrome in athletes.

Why is science literacy important?

To evaluate the vast amount of information available in print, online, and on television, you must be science literate. To be science literate, you need to combine a basic understanding of science and its process with reasoning and thinking skills.

How are scientific theories developed?

A theory is an explanation of a natural phenomenon supported by many observations and experiments over time. A scientific explanation combines what is already known about something with many observations and experiments. An explanation becomes a theory only when investigations produce enough evidence to support the idea.

How do scientists deal with inconsistent data?

When observations or data are not consistent with current understanding, scientists investigate the inconsistencies. For example, some early biologists suggested that bats had traits that were more similar to those of mammals than those of birds, as shown in the figure below. This idea led to further investigation. The new evidence confirmed that bats are more closely related to mammals than to birds. In pseudoscience, observations that are not consistent with beliefs are ignored.

How do ethics apply to science?

Many scientific inquiries involve ethics. Ethics are a set of moral principles or values. Ethical issues are involved in the study of cloning, genetic engineering, euthanasia (yoo thuh NAY zhuh), and cryonics (kri AH nihks). Euthanasia is permitting death for reasons of mercy. Cryonics is freezing a dead organism with the hope of reviving it in the future.

How do scientists test claims?

In science, all research follows standard procedures. Conclusions are based on evidence from carefully controlled investigations. Pseudoscientists make claims that cannot be tested. These claims are a mix of facts and opinions.

How are scientific investigations evaluated?

Scientific investigations undergo peer review. Peer review in science is a process in which the procedures used during an experiment and the results are evaluated by scientists who are in the same field or are doing similar research.

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