• Question: how does your science work?

    Asked by jessehh to Poonam, Patience, Joseph, Hywel, Rachael on 15 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Dr Hywel Jones

      Dr Hywel Jones answered on 15 Jun 2010:

      I like this:

      Bertrand Russell said:

      In arriving at a scientific law there are three main stages: The first consists in observing the significant facts; the second in arriving at a hypothesis, which, if it is true, would account for these facts; the third is deducing from this hypothesis consequences which can be tested by observation. If the consequences are verified, the hypothesis is provisionally accepted as true, although it will usually require modification later on as a result of the discovery of further facts (1931, p. 57).

      That is: we observe some phenomenon, we propose a explanation that we think explains it, we predict what the consequences of our new explanation might be and we set up an experiment to see if those consequences actually happen in the way we predicted. If it all works then we have an explanation that is correct (for now). If it does not work we need to try a new explanation until we find one that does explain the observed phenomenon.

    • Photo: Joseph Cook

      Joseph Cook answered on 15 Jun 2010:

      I perform chemical reactions between molecules in solution to produce hydrogels. The gels are then analysed to see what they contain, how they swell, how porous they are and so on.

    • Photo: Poonam Kaushik

      Poonam Kaushik answered on 15 Jun 2010:

      I am working on developing non-toxic pesticides from plants against insects so that the developed pesticides are least toxic to humans and in the meantime must b effective in controlling insects which deteriorates our food crops. u must be unaware about the fact that about 20-30% food crops are lost due to pests annually in whole world. It is a huge commercial and aesthetical loss as u know many people r dying of hunger in world. If this bit can be saved it cn go to these hungry people or we do not b acquiring forest land for agricultural usage to feed huge human population.

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