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

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

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

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

The science checklist applied: CFCs and the destruction of the ozone layer

Topics:
  • What is and is not science
Disciplines:
  • chemistry
  • Earth science

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

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

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

Fair tests: A do-it-yourself guide

Topics:
  • Testing scientific ideas
  • Thinking scientifically every day
Disciplines:

Format: single page

The science checklist applied: Cold fusion

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

Format: single page

As parsimonious as the evidence allows: Different ways of seeing color

Topics:
  • Testing scientific ideas
Disciplines:
  • biology

Format: single page

spider

How science works

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

Format: video

Life size sculptures of mastodons are posed at the Lake Pit of the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum

50,000 years of Los Angeles summers?

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

Format: single page

Questioning the party line on climate

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

Format: single page

Science and technology on fast forward

Topics:
  • Benefits of science
  • The iterative process of science
Disciplines:
  • biology
  • physics

Format: single page

What is it about Los Angeles?

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

Format: single page

Fair tests in the field of medicine: Aiding Alzheimer patients

Topics:
  • Testing scientific ideas
Disciplines:
  • biology

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

Bundle up your hypotheses

Topics:
  • Testing scientific ideas
Disciplines:
  • astronomy

Format: single page

From city girl to naturalist

Topics:
  • Science as a human endeavor
Disciplines:
  • biology

Format: single page

Illuminating relativity: Experimenting with the stars

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

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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