1. Open Earth Systems 2014 Teacher Workshop Anand Gnanadesikan Johns Hopkins University

2. Session 2: Thinking scientifically

3. Define and come up with an example for Scientific fact Scientific fact Scientific inference/theory Scientific inference/theory Scientific hypothesis Scientific hypothesis Science Fiction Science Fiction

4. Scientific fact, scientific inference, scientific hypotheses, science fiction Scientific fact: A statement that is testable and repeatable under controlled (laboratory) conditions. Scientific fact: A statement that is testable and repeatable under controlled (laboratory) conditions. Scientific inference (theory): A statement that ties scientific facts together to explain properties of the world we live in- a hypothesis validated by facts. Scientific inference (theory): A statement that ties scientific facts together to explain properties of the world we live in- a hypothesis validated by facts. Scientific hypothesis: An idea about the world that is testable through experiment. Scientific hypothesis: An idea about the world that is testable through experiment. Science fiction: Something that contradicts the facts we know about the world. Science fiction: Something that contradicts the facts we know about the world.

5. Key caveat Scientific hypotheses must be. Scientific hypotheses must be. Framed appropriatelyFramed appropriately Testable through experimentTestable through experiment “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” Not all things that we hold to be true are (or should be) scientifically verifiable. Not all things that we hold to be true are (or should be) scientifically verifiable.

6. Examples Aliens Aliens Hypothesis- testable through experiment, but not seen. Warp speed Warp speed Fiction- Faster-than-light travel violates the laws of physics as we know them

7. Where does natural global warming fit on this list? “Earth’s atmosphere causes the planet to be warmer than it would otherwise be.” A: Fact B: Theory C: Hypothesis D: Fiction

8. What about manmade (anthropogenic) global warming? “Doubling atmospheric carbon dioxide as a result of human activity over the next century will cause a rise of global temperatures between 2 and 5 C.” A: Fact B: Theory C: Hypothesis D: Fiction