1.2 The Process of Science

• The application of science to answer questions related to the law is called forensic science.
• Biologists can be forensic scientists.
• trace material associated with crimes is examined by forensic scientists, who provide scientific evidence for use in courts.
• Popular television shows that feature forensic scientists on the job may be the reason for the increased interest in forensic science.
• The types of forensic work that can be done have been updated by the development of new techniques.
• Crimes against people such as murder, rape, and assault are what their job activities are related to.
• Their work involves analyzing samples such as hair, blood, and other body fluids and also processing DNA found in many different environments and materials.
• Other biological evidence, such as insect parts or pollen grains, can also be analyzed by forensic scientists.
• Students who want to pursue careers in forensic science will need to take chemistry and biology courses as well as some intensive math courses.

• Some of the oldest life forms on the planet can be seen through a light microscope.
• The stromatolites along the shores of Lake Thetis in Western Australia are ancient structures formed by the layers of cyanobacteria in shallow waters.

• Like geology, physics, and chemistry, biology gathers knowledge about the natural world.
• The study of life is called biology.
• The discoveries of biology are made by a community of researchers who work together using agreed-on methods.
• Like all sciences, biology is a social enterprise.

• The methods of science include careful observation, record keeping, logical and mathematical reasoning, experimentation, and submitting conclusions to the scrutiny of others.
• A well-designed experiment is often described as elegant or beautiful.
• Like politics, science has practical implications and some science is dedicated to practical applications, such as the prevention of disease.
• Regardless of the goal, science has transformed human existence and will continue to do so.

• The bacterium is visualized using a scanning electron microscope.

• Science is a specific way of learning about the world.

• The introduction to biology has taken place during this time.
• The methods of science cannot be applied to certain areas of knowledge.
• These include answering moral, aesthetic, or spiritual questions.
• Science can't investigate these areas because they are outside the realm of material phenomena, the phenomena of matter and energy, and can't be observed and measured.

• One of the most important aspects of the scientific method is the testing of hypotheses.
• A scientific theory is a generally accepted, thoroughly tested and confirmed explanation for a set of observations.
• Scientific knowledge is based on scientific theory.
• Theories to laws do not represent an increase in certainty about the world.

• Hypotheses are the day-to-day material that scientists work with and they are developed within the context of theories.
• Laws are concise descriptions of parts of the world that are easy to understand.

• Science includes astronomy, biology, computer sciences, geology, logic, physics, chemistry, and mathematics.
• A museum of natural sciences might have some of the items listed above.

• Astronomy, biology, computer science, geology, logic, physics, chemistry, and mathematics are some of the fields of science.
• The natural sciences are astronomy, biology, chemistry, earth science, and physics.
• There are some disciplines that build on two sciences.

• The development of science is driven by curiosity and inquiry.
• Scientists want to understand how the world works.
• Two methods of logical thinking are used.

• In descriptive science, this type of reasoning is common.
• A Biologist makes observations and records them.

• The raw data can be supplemented with drawings, pictures, photos, or videos.
• The scientist can make conclusions from many observations.
• Evaluating a large amount of data involves formulating generalizations from careful observation.
• Brain studies can work this way.
• People are doing a task and many of their brains are being observed.
• The part of the brain that lights up is shown to be the part that controls the response to the task.

• The type of logic used in hypothesis-based science iseductive reasoning.
• The pattern of thinking moves in the opposite direction when using deductive reasoning.
• As long as the general principles are valid, a scientist can predict the specific results that would be valid.
• If the climate is getting warmer in a region, the distribution of plants and animals should change.

• Many changes that have been found are consistent with a warming climate, and have been compared between distributions in the past and present.
• The climate change conclusion is valid if you find the change in distribution.

• Both types of logical thinking are related to the two main pathways of scientific study.
• Most scientific endeavors combine both approaches, so the boundary between these two forms of study is often blurred.
• Observations lead to questions, questions lead to forming a hypothesis, and then the hypothesis is tested.

• There is continuous dialogue between descriptive science and hypothesis-based science.

• Biologists study the living world by posing questions.
• This approach is common to other sciences and is often referred to as the scientific method.
• The scientific method was used in the past, but it was first documented by England's Sir Francis Bacon.
• The scientific method can be applied to almost anything as a logical problem-solving method.

• The scientific method was documented by Sir Francis Bacon.

• The scientific process usually begins with an observation that leads to a question.
• A simple problem that starts with an observation can be solved using a scientific method.
• One Monday morning, a student arrives at class and discovers that the classroom is too warm.
• The classroom is too warm is an observation that also describes a problem.

• A hypothesis can be tested.
• Several hypotheses may be proposed to solve a problem.

• Other hypotheses may be proposed because there could be other responses to the question.

• Predicting can be made once a hypothesis has been selected.
• The format of a prediction is similar to a hypothesis.

• It is necessary to test a hypothesis to make sure it is valid.
• A hypothesis that depends on what a bear thinks is not testable.

• There is no experiment that will show this to be true.
• One or more experiments designed to eliminate one or more hypotheses will be conducted to test a hypothesis.
• A hypothesis can be disproven, but never proven.
• Science does not deal with proof like mathematics does.
• If an experiment fails to disprove a hypothesis, we can find support for that explanation, but we can't say that a better explanation will be found down the road.

• Each experiment has variables and controls.
• In the example that follows, look for the variables and controls.
• An experiment might be conducted to test the hypothesis that the growth of algae in freshwater ponds is limited by the amount of phosphate in the water.
• Half of the artificial ponds that are filled with water are treated withphosphate each week, while the other half are treated with a salt that is not used by algae.
• There are three variables here: the amount of phosphate, the experimental or treatment cases, and the control ponds.
• Adding something to the pond is a control against the possibility that it will have an effect.
• We have found support for our hypothesis if the treated ponds show less growth of algae.
• We reject our hypothesis if they don't.
• Rejecting one hypothesis doesn't determine whether or not the other hypotheses can be accepted, it simply eliminates one hypothesis that isn't valid.
• The hypotheses that are inconsistent with the data are rejected.

• Experiments and careful observation are included in the scientific method.
• A new hypothesis can be proposed if the previous one is not supported by data.

• The scientific method is used to solve a problem.
• Some alternative hypotheses should be proposed if it is not supported.

• There is a problem with the electrical outlet.

• The coffeemaker won't work if something is wrong with the outlet.

• The scientific method is not as rigid as it might appear.
• Sometimes an experiment leads to conclusions that favor a change in approach, and sometimes an experiment brings entirely new scientific questions to the puzzle.
• Science does not operate in a linear fashion, instead scientists draw inferences and make generalizations as their research proceeds.
• Scientific reasoning is not as simple as the method suggests.

• The value of different types of science has been debated by the scientific community.
• There are two types of science: basic science and applied science.

• It isn't focused on developing a product or service of immediate public or commercial value.
• The goal of basic science is knowledge for knowledge's sake, but this doesn't mean that in the end it won't result in an application.

• The problem is usually defined by the researcher in applied science.

• The history of science shows that basic knowledge has resulted in many great applications.
• Many scientists think that a basic understanding of science is necessary before an application is developed; therefore, applied science relies on the results generated through basic science.
• Some scientists think it's time to move on from basic science and find solutions to real problems.
• Both approaches are valid.
• It is true that there are problems that need immediate attention, but few solutions would be found without the help of basic science.

• An example of how basic and applied science can work together to solve practical problems occurred after the discovery of DNA structure.
• The instructions for life are provided by the strands of DNA found in our cells.
• New copies of DNA are made before a cell divides.
• Scientists have been able to develop laboratory techniques that can identify genetic diseases, find people who were at a crime scene, and determine the father of a child.
• It is unlikely that applied science would exist without basic science.

• The Human Genome Project is an example of a link between basic and applied research.

• Other organisms have also been studied as part of the project.
• Basic research was carried out with non-human organisms and later with the human genome.
• The data for applied research seeking cures for genetically related diseases became an important end goal.

• Researchers working in several different fields of science collaborated on the Human Genome Project for 13 years.
• The project was finished in 2003

• It is important to note that some discoveries are made by happenstance, that is, by accident or a lucky surprise, and that research efforts in both basic science and applied science are usually carefully planned.
• The mold killed thebacteria.
• The highly organized world of science can lead to unexpected breakthrough when luck and a curious mind are combined.

• Scientists must share their findings for other researchers to expand and build upon their discoveries.
• Communication and collaboration between sub disciplines of science is important to the advancement of knowledge in science.
• An important aspect of a scientist's work is communicating with peers.
• Scientists can share their results at a scientific meeting or conference, but only a small group of people can see them.
• Most scientists present their results in peer-reviewed articles.
• The qualified colleagues are experts in the same research area who decide if the scientist's work is suitable for publication.
• Peer review helps ensure that the research described in a scientific paper is original, significant, logical, and thorough.
• Grant proposals are subject to peer review.
• Scientists publish their work so other scientists can reproduce their experiments under similar or different conditions.
• The results of the experiments have to be in line with the findings of other scientists.

• The popular press does not use a peer-review system.
• A large number of online openaccess journals, journals with articles available without cost, are now available, many of which use rigorous peer-review systems, but some of which do not.
• The results of studies published in these forums are not reliable and should not be used for other scientific work.
• One exception is that journals may allow a researcher to cite a personal communication from another researcher.

• The science of life is called biology.
• All living organisms have several key properties such as order, sensitivity or response to stimuli, reproduction, adaptation, growth and development, regulation, and energy processing.
• The living things are organized in a way that includes atoms, molecule, organelles, cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems.
• Populations, communities, ecosystems, and the biosphere are grouped as organs.
• The diversity on Earth today is the result of evolution.
• A diagram of evolutionary relationships can be used.
• There are many branches and sub disciplines in biology.

• There are many examples of biology.

• The process of science biology studies living organisms and their interactions with one another and their environments.
• Science tries to understand the nature of the universe.
• Natural sciences are related to the physical world and its phenomena.

• A hypothesis is a tentative explanation.
• A scientific theory can be used to explain a set of observations or phenomena.
• A scientific law is a description of the behavior of an aspect of nature under certain circumstances.
• Science uses two types of logical reasoning.
• General scientific principles are produced byctive reasoning.
• eductive reasoning predicts results by applying general principles.
• The scientific method is used throughout the research.
• Results are presented in peer-reviewed scientific papers.

• Science can be applied or basic.
• The main goal of basic science is to expand knowledge without expectation of short term practical application.
• Practical problems are the primary goal of applied research.

• If it isn't supported, propose some alternative A.

• There is something wrong with the electrical C. Organelles.

• If something is wrong with the outlet, I have D communities that will not work when plugged into.

• The smallest unit of biological structure is the _____.

• There is a testable explanation for an event.

• Give an example of how applied science has changed over time.