Scientific theory

A well-supported explanatory framework that accounts for observations and makes testable predictions about the natural world. It integrates evidence, concepts, and principles rather than merely summarizing facts.

Scientific hypothesis: A proposed explanation that can be tested through observation or experiment. Testable hypotheses let a theory expose its explanations to empirical checks.
Scientific prediction: A claim about an observable outcome derived from a scientific explanation or model. A theory's predictions connect its explanations to outcomes that can be checked.
Fact: A claim about the world supported by sufficiently strong evidence for practical acceptance. Facts are established claims; theories organize and explain facts and other observations.
Paradigm shift: A major change in a field's basic framework, methods, and standards of explanation. A theory can contribute to a shift when it reorganizes evidence and research practice.
Scientific law: A concise statement describing a regular pattern in nature, often expressed mathematically. Laws describe patterns; theories explain the mechanisms or principles behind them.
Falsifiability: The property of a claim that permits observations or experiments to show it false. Risky, falsifiable predictions distinguish testable theories from claims insulated from evidence.
Pseudoscience: Claims or practices presented as scientific but lacking reliable methods or adequate empirical support. Pseudoscientific accounts often mimic theory while evading rigorous testing.
Evolutionary theory: The body of scientific explanations for how populations change and diversify over generations. It shows how a broad theory unifies evidence across genetics, fossils, and ecology.
Empirical evidence: Information acquired through observation or experiment and used to assess claims about the world. Evidence constrains which explanations a scientific theory can support.
Scientific experiment: A controlled procedure for testing hypotheses by manipulating or measuring variables. Experiments can discriminate between a theory's predictions and competing explanations.

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