Scientific Method (Inquiry)

1. Scientific Method (Inquiry)

2. What is the scientific method….. ? process The scientific method is a ______for answering questions.

3. What is Science? or True False Here are a few statements to test your current understanding of science!

4. Science can prove anything, solve any problem or answer any question. True or False? False Science actually attempts to disprove ideas (hypotheses). Science is limited strictly to solving problems about the physical and natural world. Explanations based on supernatural forces, values or ethics can never be disproved and thus do not fall under the area of science.

5. Any study done carefully and based on observation is scientific. False • •Science must follow certain rules. • •The rules of science make the scientific process as objective as is possible. Objective= Not influenced by feelings, interests and prejudices; UNBIASED vs. Subjective = Influenced by feelings, interests and prejudices; BIASED

6. Science can be done poorly. True

7. Different scientists may get different solutions to the same problem. False True True

8. Understanding Experimental Design A process of discovery…

9. The Controversy Over Spontaneous Generation Problem: What causes tiny living things to appear in decaying broth? Spallazani’s Hypothesis:Microbes come from the air. Boiling will kill them. Needham’s Hypothesis: Spontaneous generation-Life forms arose from non-living matter. Experimental Designs with flaws John Needham Needham > Spallazani > LazzaroSpallanzani 1700’s

10. Louis Pastuer …disproved the idea of spontaneous generation of life. He concluded that germs in the air were able to fall unobstructed down the straight-necked flask and contaminate the broth. The other flask, however, trapped germs in its curved neck,­ preventing them from reaching the broth, which never changed color or became cloudy. Controlled all of the variables in the experiment--- GOOD EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

11. Soooo…what is good science? Objectivityis the key to good science. To be objective, experiments must be designed and conducted in a way that does not introduce bias into the study.

12. The Beginnings of Immunologyusing the scientific methodEdward Jenner and the first vaccine: COWPOX : Infectious disease that caused mild discomfort, aching, a few pustules, some swelling…symptoms that disappeared in a few days. No biggie. SMALLPOX: Infectious disease that caused massive disfigurement, sometimes blindness, and often death. Dr. Jenner was aware of farm workers' belief that if you had cowpox in the past, you wouldn’t get smallpox. Late 1700’s to early 1800’s – English physician

13. The Beginnings of ImmunologyEdwardJenner and the first vaccine. Question: Does having cowpox make a person immune to smallpox? Hypothesis: If someone is infected with cowpox, then they will be immune to smallpox because having cowpox keeps a person from getting smallpox. Experiment:Jenner made small incisions or punctures in arms of human subjects and rubbed in cowpox material (pus) in order to infect them with cowpox. Analysis & Conclusion: He saw that people that he infected with cow pox, when later exposed to smallpox, would get a little bit sick, but never come down with a full-blown case of smallpox. Cowpox infection prevents smallpox infection. Present Results / Peer Evaluation: At first his peers doubted the safety and value of his treatment, but eventually the importance of the cowpox inoculum was recognized. 1800’s – English physician

14. Vaccination was not without its critics. In this cartoon from 1802, the British satirist James Gillray implied that vaccination caused people to become part cow. Fun Fact

15. Verification is another quality control measure to eliminate bias. Results are verified by independent duplication and publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Independent duplication= Two or more scientists from different institutions investigate the same question separately and get similar results. Peer-reviewed journal. = A journal that publishes articles only after they have been checked for quality byseveral expert, objective scientists from different institutions.

16. Scientific Method (Inquiry) Publish

17. Scientific Theory vs. Law

18. Scientific Theory vs. Law THEORY Explanation for an observation or phenomena that is confirmed by a large amount of evidence or tests (experiments). Example: Germ theory of disease - Infectious diseases result from the action of microorganisms. Although highly controversial when first proposed, it is now a cornerstone of modern medicine leading to such important innovations as antibiotics and hygienic practices. LAW A statement of a scientific principle that appears to be without exception at the time it is made, and always works the same way under the same conditions; A scientific rule. Example: Newton's First Law of Motion (Law of Inertia) - every object either remains at rest or in continuous motion with constant speed unless acted upon by an outside force. Treponema pallidum - ♪ (Trep-o-neemah pal-lid-um)

19. So, what's the difference? A SCIENTIFICTHEORY - are typically non-mathematical. A SCIENTIFIC LAW - are often mathematically defined • Looking at things this way helps to explain, in part, why physics and chemistry have lots of "laws" whereas biology has few laws (and more theories). • In biology, it is very difficult to describe all the complexities of life with "simple" (relatively speaking!) mathematical terms.

21. So that’s Science… Now, what’s the difference between: 1. Non-science 2. Science ?

22. Non science = Outside the field of Science Nonscience is important in human thinking and experience. • Values • Religious and other beliefs • Art • Creativity & Intuition • Subjects of nonscience are usually easily separated from science.

23. Science • Science is the study of the natural world using information gathered from the natural world.