To perform a test showing that a particular claim or scientific idea is false. The idea that science relies solely on falsification is based on Karl Popper’s influential account of scientific justification, which suggests that science can only reject, or falsify, hypotheses — that science cannot find evidence that supports one idea over others. In fact, science can never once-and-for-all prove that a particular idea is false (or true) and both supporting and refuting evidence may contribute to our evaluation of a scientific idea. To learn more, visit our misconception on the topic.