The Scientific Method

 Must admit, reality is fascinating. I’m a firm advocate of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution based on the mountains of evidence we can’t ignore. I think Einstein’s General and Special Theories of Relativity are also a foregone conclusion that has been examined in depth. Quantum Theory is so revolutionary most people don’t even know what to do with it, much less how to explain it. But here’s something you may not know. There are theories and there are laws.

So what’s the difference? I’ve had people ask me from time to time, in defense of evidence based conclusions, that if evolution is true, why is it still a theory and not a law. Here’s the nutshell: laws are usually defined by specific mathematical equations and theories can’t be nailed down in the same manner, such as the Theory of Plate Tectonics, and Evolution. These concepts are broad and encompass unpredictable patterns. They are not mathematical equations, but they are still considered factual and are supported by evidence.

Then we have fiction. Fiction stretches the truth to entertain, such as using Faster Than Light propulsion. I must say, however, that even at ten times the speed of light, it would take four months to travel to our nearest neighbor, Alpha Centauri. The speed of light is about 186,000 miles per second, or for those of you who are metric minded, that is nearly 300,000 km per second. It’s nearly eight trips around the earth at the equator, per second. It’s really, really fast. And yet, just a few centuries ago, most people thought the Earth was flat.

I suppose what I’m getting at is that although we don’t think it is possible, today, that we will ever reach speeds as fast or faster than light, or that any alloys we know of or elements could sustain the pressure, or that time and gravity will goof up all of our equations, don’t write it off just yet. In another thousand years, what might humanity have come up with while they look back at us and laugh.