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From the Virtual Cell Biology Classroom on ScienceProfOnline.com Image: Compound microscope objectives, T. Port
 Scientific
Method

For additional resources on this lecture topic, see

the Scientific Method Main Page on SPO. Image: Compound microscope objectives, T. Port
 What is science

?
Science is a tool for answering
questions.
What Is Science? from Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, US Gov
 What is Science?
or

Here are a few statements

to test your current
understanding of science!

(You are thinking … Wow! This instructor is HARSH! A test the first time we meet.)

What Is Science? from Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, US Gov

 Science can prove anything, solve any
problem or answer any question.
True or False?

False
• Science actually attempts to disprove ideas (hypotheses).
• Science is limited strictly to solving problems about the physical
and natural world.
• Explanations based on supernatural forces, values or ethics can
never be disproved and thus do not fall under the realm of
science.

What Is Science? from Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, US Gov

 Any study done carefully and based
on observation is scientific.

False
• • Science must follow certain rules.

• • The rules of science make the scientific process as

objective as is possible.

Objective = Not influenced by feelings, interests

and prejudices; UNBIASED
vs.
Subjective = Influenced by feelings, interests
and prejudices; BIASED

What Is Science? from Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, US Gov

 Science can be done poorly.

What Is Science? from Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, US Gov

 Different scientists may get different
solutions to the same problem.

What Is Science? from Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, US Gov

 The Controversy Over Spontaneous Generation
John Needham & Lazzaro Spallanzani

French
The Question: chemist
Louis
What causes tiny living things to appear in decaying broth? Pasteur’s
design of
this experiment settled
Needham’s Hypothesis: Spontaneous generation. the argument. Click here
for an animation and
Spallazani’s Hypothesis: Microbes come from the air. Boiling will quiz.

kill them.

Needham >

Spallazani >

Image: Louis Pasteur, Pierre Lamy Petit, circa

1866; Lazzaro Spallanzani, 1729-1799 From the Virtual Cell Biology Classroom on ScienceProfOnline.com
 What is good science?
Objectivity is the key to good science.

To be objective, experiments must be designed

and conducted in a way that does not introduce
bias into the study.

Scientists use the

Scientific Method

From the Virtual Cell Biology Classroom on ScienceProfOnline.com

 Scientific Method

Data DO NOT
Data Support Hypothesis
Support Hypothesis

From the Virtual Cell Biology Classroom on ScienceProfOnline.com Image: Scientific Method Flowchart, Science Buddies
 The Beginnings of Immunology
Edward Jenner and the first vaccine

cowpox: Infectious disease that

causes mild discomfort, aching, a
few pustules, some swelling…
symptoms that disappeared in a few
days. No biggie.

smallpox: Infectious disease that

causes massive disfigurement,
sometimes blindness, and often
death.
 Caused two airborne virus variants,
Variola major and Variola minor.

 Approx 500 million deaths worldwide

in the 20th century. And millions more
throughout previous history.

 Eradicated in 1979 though

widespread vaccination.

From the Virtual Cell Biology Classroom on ScienceProfOnline.com Images: Cowpox on Udder Wiki; Child with Smallpox, James Hicks, CDC
 The Beginnings of Immunology
Edward Jenner and the first vaccine

1749 - 1823

Dr. Edward Jenner was aware

that farm workers believed that
if they ever contracted cowpox,
they then wouldn’t get smallpox.

Images: Dr. Edward Jenner by James Northcote Cowpox on Udder

From the Virtual Cell Biology Classroom on ScienceProfOnline.com Wiki; Man with smallpox, 1912, Illinois Department of Health
 The Beginnings of Immunology
Edward Jenner and the first vaccine

Match each statement with it ’s 1.

corresponding step number in the
Scientific Method.

_____ Jenner made small incisions or punctures

with cowpox material in arms of human 2.
subjects in order to prevent smallpox.

_____ If I infect someone with cowpox, they will

then be immune to smallpox.
3.
_____ At first his peers doubted the safety and
efficacy of his treatment, but
eventually the value of the cowpox
inoculum was recognized. 4.
_____ He saw that the people that he infected
with cow pox, when later exposed to
smallpox, would get a little bit sick,
but never come down with a full-blown 5.
case of smallpox.

_____ Dr. Jenner was aware that farm workers

believed that if you had ever
contracted cowpox, you wouldn’t get smallpox.

_____ Does having cowpox make a person

immune to smallpox?
6.
Image: Scientific Method Flowchart, Science
From the Virtual Cell Biology Classroom on ScienceProfOnline.com Buddies; Dr. Edward Jenner by James Northcote
 Verification is another quality control
measure to eliminate bias.
Results are verified by independent duplication
and publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

Independent duplication = Two or more

scientists from different institutions investigate
the same question separately and get similar
results.

Peer-reviewed Journal = A journal that

publishes articles only after they have been
checked for quality by several expert, objective
scientists from different institutions.

From the Virtual Cell Biology Classroom on ScienceProfOnline.com

 So that’s Science…
Now, what’s the difference

?
between:

1. Science

2. Non-science

3. Pseudoscience

From the Virtual Cell Biology Classroom on ScienceProfOnline.com

 Non-science = Outside the Domain of Science

Non-science is important in human thinking and

experience.

• Values

• Religious beliefs

• Art

• Creativity & Intuition

Subjects of non-science are usually easily separated from science.

From the Virtual Cell Biology Classroom on ScienceProfOnline.com

 Pseudoscience
When Non-science Claims to Be Science

• Claims that can be tested

scientifically, but are not.

• Try to pose as science.

Religious “science”: constantly upholds
hypotheses instead of trying to falsify
them.

Unidentified flying objects: none of the UFO

“sightings” stand to careful scrutiny

Hauntings: none of the ghost “sightings” stand

to careful scrutiny

From the Virtual Cell Biology Classroom on ScienceProfOnline.com Images: Snake Oil Poster, Wiki; Brown Lady Ghost, Wiki
 Confused?
Here are some links to fun resources
that further explain the Scientific
Method:

• Scientific Method Main Page from the Virtual Cell

Biology Classroom at Science Prof Online.

• “Science Is Real” music video by They Might Be Giants.

• Scientific Method Cartoon & Quizzes from

BrainPop.

• “Put It To The Test” music video by They Might Be

Giants.

• Scene from Monty Python’s Holy Grail used to

explain Scientific Method.

• Pasteur’s Experiment interactive science tutorial.

• “She Blinded Me With Science” music video Thomas

Dolby.

(You must be in PPT slideshow view to click on links.) From the Virtual Cell Biology Classroom on ScienceProfOnline.com
 Animal Behavior Experiment with Isopod
Commonly Known as the Pillbug

They get their common names (pillbug, wood lice, sowbug, roly-polie) because
they often respond to mechanical stimuli by rolling up into a ball.

They are a crustacean. Most crustaceans are aquatic (shrimp, lobster, crab),
but pillbugs are terrestrial. Still, much of their behavior is due to their
need to avoid desiccation (drying out).

Images: Pillbug, Armadillidium vulgare, Franco Folini,

Wiki; Wood louse, benjamint444, Wiki From the Virtual Cell Biology Classroom on ScienceProfOnline.com
 Pillbug Experiment
See the
ScienceProfOnline
Virtual Cell Biology
Classroom: Scientific
Method Lecture for a
printable Word .doc of
• You will be designing an experiment to help you this assignment.
better understand the scientific method.

• Break up into groups (of 3 to 5 members) and design an experiment to

investigate the pillbugs’ response to light, pH, food hiding place or
background color.

• Choose only one variable to manipulate.

• You will must work through all of the steps of the scientific method:
– ask a question
– develop a hypothesis
– state the objectives of your experiment
– design your experiment (list materials that you will use, and outline your procedure in
detail, determine what data you will collect)
– analyze your data
– draw a conclusion (was your hypothesis supported or not?)
• I will need to approve your experiment before you begin.

From the Virtual Cell Biology Classroom on ScienceProfOnline.com

 Are you feeling blinded by science?

Do yourself a favor. Use the…

Virtual Cell Biology

Classroom (VCBC) !
The VCBC is full of resources to help you succeed,
• practice test questions
including:
• review questions
• study guides and learning objectives
• PowerPoints on other topics

You can access the VCBC by going to the Science Prof Online website
www.ScienceProfOnline.com

Images: Blinded With Science album, Thomas Dolby; Endomembrane system, Mariana Ruiz, Wiki