Many of you behind screens have long forgotten what it’s like to fall asleep in a science class only to be awakened by a teacher asking you to explain a principle of Newtonian mechanics in front of the whole class.
The truth is that not many of us have given physics, chemistry, or cosmology a chance to learn to like them. Just as few have the brains, will or patience to do so. Fortunately, there are no more scientific tests and we can finally sit back, relax and enjoy the fun part of it.
The Facebook group titled “The Lighter Side of Science” is a perfect resource for it, sharing everything “from weird scientific discoveries and experiments to strange and unusual creatures, scientific studies, theories and much more.”
With 691.3 thousand members, the community is going strong as it brings together people who share a fascination with science into a family group. Scroll down for the most interesting posts shared in the group!
What separates a bias or an assumption from a scientific fact is hard evidence. Scientific evidence is evidence that serves to either support or refute a scientific theory or hypothesis, although scientists also use evidence in other ways, such as when applying theories to practical problems.
Scientific evidence is information gathered from scientific research, which takes a lot of time (and patience!) to conduct. But there are a few things that all this research must have in common to make it possible for decision makers, and ultimately all of us, to accept it as “proof.” There are certain criteria that we want scientific evidence to fit. First, it must be objective and unbiased, which can be difficult to do given that most researchers are constantly applying for funding.
According to Manu Saunders, a researcher and PhD candidate at Charles Sturt University, for the most part, the funds are distributed fairly. “But if an organization funds a research project that will benefit them financially, then we cannot accept the findings as ‘proof’ unless different researchers (from unrelated organizations) reach the same conclusions through their own research independent.”
Furthermore, since scientific evidence relies on data, it is vital for researchers to ensure that the data they collect is representative of the “real” situation. Saunders argues that this means that researchers must use proven or appropriate ways of collecting and analyzing data and ensuring that research is conducted ethically and safely.
Peer review and professional consensus is the most important step as it turns research into the “evidence” we all talk about and rely on. “The researcher must present his data, results and conclusions in the form of a report or scientific paper. This should be reviewed by their scientific peers – only they are qualified to assess the validity of the methods and the accuracy of the conclusions the researcher has drawn from the results,” explains Saunders.
German engagement ring from the 16th century; It was designed to turn into a small astronomical map with one sentence: “The whole universe is in your hands.”
It is also very important to note that most scientific facts reach us through the media and the press, politics and opinion makers. Often, we don’t have the opportunity, time, or desire to expend the effort to check the facts for ourselves.
Saunders argues that it is a good idea to check whether the “scientific evidence” supports their case by asking a few questions: “Who funded the research and why? How much evidence is there and how was it collected? Was the sample size or location representative of the ‘real’ situation?”