Science challenges—and changes—what we know. To test ideas and search for answers, scientists observe and experiment. Through this process, we update and expand our knowledge.
After all, plenty of things scientists “knew” 100 years ago turned out to be wrong. If we keep asking questions and challenging what we know, just think how much we can learn in the next 100 years!
To learn from science, we:
Keep an open mind
Listen to the data
Build confidence when many studies agree
Why scientific studies may have different results, even when their methods are the same
Want to know “what the science says”? Look for multiple studies on a topic rather than just one.
Yes, but be sure to look at the broader context and assess the strength of the evidence
Scientists spend a lot of time doing similar studies over and over, testing and building on each other’s work. When many studies come to similar conclusions, we can be more confident that those conclusions are right. This can lead to scientific consensus and help build knowledge.
But what happens if studies point to different conclusions?
When studies disagree, it’s useful to try to find out why. Sometimes, frustration leads to new discoveries! By working together and sharing information, we can make science stronger and have more confidence in the results.
Can disagreement lead to discovery? In one scientist’s quest to cure cancer, hope rises from the ashes of failure.
Why scientists repeat studies—and why that’s harder than you might think
Early studies on COVID-19 hold lessons for any new area of science: approach with caution and stay open to change
Science is the best way we know to develop reliable knowledge. It’s a collective and cumulative process of assessing evidence that leads to increasingly accurate and trustworthy information.
READ MOREIf scientific knowledge is always changing, how can we use science to inform decisions?
Think of science like a giant web of knowledge. Any particular strand could break or change, but the overall web holds up. Our web of knowledge grows stronger as we do more studies and become more confident in their results.
People use science to inform lots of decisions. You might look to science to learn what products are safe to use or what foods are healthy to eat. Doctors use science to decide how to diagnose and treat disease. Farmers use science to decide what crops to plant.
Science can’t make these decisions for you. But it can help. It’s a good idea to look at the overall body of knowledge, think critically, and consider the context.
Science can offer many useful answers. But remember, there are always more questions to ask!
Test your knowledge about how science worksThe materials on this page are based on Reproducibility and Replicability in Science, a consensus report of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The study and these materials were funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the National Science Foundation and vetted by experts in the practice, interpretation, and application of science.