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

Bill Berry and the construction of geologic time

Topics:
  • Testing scientific ideas
Disciplines:
  • Earth science

Format: single page

Fair tests in physics: Examining eclipses

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

Format: single page

Two microscopic images of sand that show crystal-like formations.

Sand is more than meets the eye

Topics:
  • Testing scientific ideas
Disciplines:
  • Earth science

Format: single page

white woman with long brown hair

The importance of global museum communities and collections

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

Format: single page

What is it about Los Angeles?

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

Format: single page

spider

How science works

Topics:
  • The iterative process of science
  • Thinking scientifically every day
Disciplines:
  • biology

Format: video

Illuminating relativity: Experimenting with the stars

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

Format: single page

Predicting insects’ response to climate change

Topics:
  • Benefits of science
Disciplines:
  • biology
  • Earth science

Format: single page

Two women outside, one wearing a neon vest

Scientists, collaborators, and friends dig into the fossil record

Topics:
  • Science as a human endeavor
  • The social side of science
Disciplines:
  • biology
  • Earth science

Format: single page

Woman with dark hair looking through a microscope

The structure of DNA: Cooperation and competition

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

Format: multipage

Two white men in suits talk near old fashioned chemistry equipment

Cold fusion: A case study for scientific behavior

Topics:
  • The social side of science
Disciplines:
  • chemistry
  • physics

Format: multipage

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

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

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

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

white woman with gray hair

Endosymbiosis: Cells within cells

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

Format: multipage

Astrology: Is it scientific?

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

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

A collage that include sample cores with a map of Baja California highlighting the Guaymas Basin

Questions built on sand

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

Format: single page

Fair tests in the fossil record: Avoiding extinction

Topics:
  • Testing scientific ideas
Disciplines:
  • biology

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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