Understanding Science

How science REALLY works...

Understanding Science

Learn what science is, how it works, and how it connects to your life

Astronaut Mae Jemison is shown floating within the Spacelab-J module

What is science?

a man wearing protective clothing is reaching over lava flows to collect a sample

How science works

archival photo of Rosalind Franklin looking into a microscope

The core of science

an image of Jane Goodall with a chimpanzee

The social side of science

A Native American woman is pictured in front of Window Rock holding a book

Science and society

vegetables in a supermarket

What has science done for you lately?

a photo of kids on a beach crouching and looking over sand

A scientific approach to life

Science flowchart

Explore the process of scientific inquiry through our interactive Science Flowchart.

Science stories

Cartoon image of people and a robot visiting the paleontology section of a museum.

Scientific Process: The mysteries of life with Tim and Moby

Topics:
  • Testing scientific ideas
  • The iterative process of science
  • What is and is not science
Disciplines:
  • astronomy
  • biology
  • Earth science

Format: video

Questioning the party line on climate

Topics:
  • The iterative process of science
Disciplines:
  • biology
  • Earth science

Format: single page

swirling, colorful picture of deep space

Luminous

Topics:
  • Science as a human endeavor
  • Testing scientific ideas
  • The iterative process of science
  • The social side of science
Disciplines:
  • astronomy

Format: video

two models of atomic structure: one with atoms circling the nucleus in all directions and one where each atom occupies a distinct orbital

A science prototype: Rutherford and the atom

Topics:
  • What is and is not science
Disciplines:
  • physics

Format: multipage

From Caribbean girl to California geologist

Topics:
  • Science as a human endeavor
Disciplines:
  • Earth science

Format: single page

white woman with gray hair

Endosymbiosis: Cells within cells

Topics:
  • Testing scientific ideas
  • The social side of science
Disciplines:
  • biology

Format: multipage

Illuminating relativity: Experimenting with the stars

Topics:
  • Testing scientific ideas
Disciplines:
  • astronomy
  • physics

Format: single page

planetoid crashing into ancient earth

Asteroids and dinosaurs: Unexpected twists and an unfinished story

Topics:
  • Testing scientific ideas
  • The iterative process of science
Disciplines:
  • astronomy
  • biology
  • Earth science

Format: multipage

fossil of a spined, hook-like appendage

This is not the shrimp you’re looking for

Topics:
  • The iterative process of science
Disciplines:
  • biology
  • Earth science

Format: single page

Intelligent Design: Is it scientific?

Topics:
  • What is and is not science
Disciplines:
  • pseudoscience

Format: single page

White woman in lab coat holding fossil in gloved hand

Ancient bones, modern problems: One scientist’s trash is another scientist’s data

Topics:
  • Testing scientific ideas
  • The iterative process of science
Disciplines:
  • biology

Format: multipage

Fossil insects take to social media

Topics:
  • The social side of science
Disciplines:
  • biology

Format: single page

Asian woman wearing hat and bright yellow vest holds a handful of rocks to the camera

Finding community among fossils

Topics:
  • The social side of science
Disciplines:
  • biology

Format: single page

sketches of trilobite fossils

Piecing together fossil puzzles in a mysterious museum cabinet

Topics:
  • Testing scientific ideas
Disciplines:
  • biology
  • Earth science

Format: single page

Fair tests in physics: Examining eclipses

Topics:
  • Testing scientific ideas
Disciplines:
  • astronomy
  • physics

Format: single page

white woman in high collared blouse

The science checklist applied: Studying variable stars

Topics:
  • What is and is not science
Disciplines:
  • astronomy

Format: single page

Ozone depletion: Uncovering the hidden hazard of hairspray

Topics:
  • Benefits of science
  • Testing scientific ideas
  • The iterative process of science
Disciplines:
  • chemistry
  • Earth science

Format: multipage

small, ridged, cocoon-shaped fossil next to a ruler

Discovering a strange new group of ancient sea creatures

Topics:
  • Testing scientific ideas
  • The iterative process of science
Disciplines:
  • biology
  • Earth science

Format: single page

Photo of researcher Emilia Huerta-Sánchez

High altitude adaptations: The work of Emilia Huerta-Sánchez

Topics:
  • Science as a human endeavor
  • Testing scientific ideas
Disciplines:
  • biology

Format: multipage

Beyond the prototype: Animal psychology

Topics:
  • What is and is not science
Disciplines:
  • biology
  • psychology

Format: single page

View all Science Stories

Top teaching resources

How Science Works interactive

How Science Works interactive

Correcting misconceptions

a cartoon depicting a man jumping out of a plane stating: I'm not deploying this parachute until scientists get more certain about this gravity stuff.
Correcting misconceptions

Infographics and teaching tools

A graphic showing a list of questions to evaluate scientific messages.
Infographics and teaching tools

Search the teaching resource database

Search the teaching resource database

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