For other uses, see Science (disambiguation).
Part of a series on:
Science
Natural[show]Astronomy: Cosmology • Galactic astronomy • Planetary geology • Planetary science • Stellar astronomy
Biology: Anatomy • Astrobiology • Biochemistry • Biological engineering • Biophysics • Behavioral neuroscience • Biotechnology • Botany • Cell biology • Cryobiology • Developmental biology • Ecology • Ethnobiology • Evolutionary biology (Intro) • Genetics (Intro) • Gerontology • Immunology • Limnology • Marine biology • Microbiology • Molecular biology • Neuroscience • Paleontology • Parasitology • Physiology • Radiobiology • Soil biology • Theoretical biology • Toxicology • Zoology
Chemistry: Acid-base reaction theories • Alchemy • Analytical chemistry • Astrochemistry • Biochemistry • Crystallography • Chemical engineering • Environmental chemistry • Food science • Geochemistry • Green chemistry • Inorganic chemistry • Materials science • Medicinal chemistry • Metallurgy • Molecular physics • Nuclear chemistry • Organic chemistry • Photochemistry • Physical chemistry • Radiochemistry • Solid-state chemistry • Stereochemistry • Supramolecular chemistry • Surface science • Theoretical chemistry
Earth sciences: Atmospheric sciences • Ecology • Environmental science • Geodesy • Geography • Geology • Geomorphology • Geophysics • Glaciology • Hydrology • Limnology • Mineralogy • Oceanography • Paleoclimatology • Palynology • Physical geography • Soil science • Space science
Physics: Applied physics • Atomic physics • Computational physics • Condensed matter physics • Experimental physics • Mechanics • Particle physics • Plasma physics • Quantum mechanics (Intro) • Solid mechanics • Theoretical physics • Thermodynamics • Entropy • General relativity • M-theory • Special relativity
Social and Behavioral[show]Anthropology
Archaeology
Criminology
Demography
Economics
Geography
History
Political science
Psychology
Sociology
Applied[show]Computer science
Engineering: Agricultural engineering • Biomedical engineering • Chemical engineering • Civil engineering • Computer engineering • Electrical engineering • Fire protection engineering • Genetic engineering • Industrial engineering • Mechanical engineering • Military engineering • Mining engineering • Nuclear engineering • Software engineering • Test Engineering
Health sciences: Biological engineering • Dentistry • Epidemiology • Health care • Medicine • Nursing • Pharmacy • Veterinary medicine
Social work:
Related[show]Interdisciplinarity: Applied physics • Artificial intelligence • Bioethics • Bioinformatics • Biogeography • Biomedical engineering • Biostatistics • Cognitive science • Computational linguistics • Cultural studies • Cybernetics • Environmental studies • Ethnic studies • Evolutionary psychology • Forestry • Health • Library science • Logic • Mathematical biology • Mathematical physics • Scientific modelling • Neural engineering • Neuroscience • Political economy • Science and technology studies • Science studies • Semiotics • Sociobiology • Systems theory • Transdisciplinarity • Urban planning
History of science
Philosophy of science
Scientific method
v • d • e
Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning "knowledge") is, in its broadest sense, any systematic knowledge-base or prescriptive practice that is capable of resulting in a prediction or predictable type of outcome. In this sense, science may refer to a highly skilled technique or practice.[1]
In its more restricted contemporary sense, science is a system of acquiring knowledge based on scientific method, and to the organized body of knowledge gained through such research.[2][3] This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word. Science as discussed in this article is sometimes called experimental science to differentiate it from applied science, which is the application of scientific research to specific human needs—although the two are commonly interconnected.
Science is a continuing effort to discover and increase human knowledge and understanding through disciplined research. Using controlled methods, scientists collect observable evidence of natural or social phenomena, record measurable data relating to the observations, and analyze this information to construct theoretical explanations of how things work. The methods of scientific research include the generation of hypotheses about how phenomena work, and experimentation that tests these hypotheses under controlled conditions. Scientists are also expected to publish their information so other scientists can do similar experiments to double-check their conclusions. The results of this process enable better understanding of past events, and better ability to predict future events of the same kind as those that have been tested.
The ability of the general population to understand
Part of a series on:
Science
Natural[show]Astronomy: Cosmology • Galactic astronomy • Planetary geology • Planetary science • Stellar astronomy
Biology: Anatomy • Astrobiology • Biochemistry • Biological engineering • Biophysics • Behavioral neuroscience • Biotechnology • Botany • Cell biology • Cryobiology • Developmental biology • Ecology • Ethnobiology • Evolutionary biology (Intro) • Genetics (Intro) • Gerontology • Immunology • Limnology • Marine biology • Microbiology • Molecular biology • Neuroscience • Paleontology • Parasitology • Physiology • Radiobiology • Soil biology • Theoretical biology • Toxicology • Zoology
Chemistry: Acid-base reaction theories • Alchemy • Analytical chemistry • Astrochemistry • Biochemistry • Crystallography • Chemical engineering • Environmental chemistry • Food science • Geochemistry • Green chemistry • Inorganic chemistry • Materials science • Medicinal chemistry • Metallurgy • Molecular physics • Nuclear chemistry • Organic chemistry • Photochemistry • Physical chemistry • Radiochemistry • Solid-state chemistry • Stereochemistry • Supramolecular chemistry • Surface science • Theoretical chemistry
Earth sciences: Atmospheric sciences • Ecology • Environmental science • Geodesy • Geography • Geology • Geomorphology • Geophysics • Glaciology • Hydrology • Limnology • Mineralogy • Oceanography • Paleoclimatology • Palynology • Physical geography • Soil science • Space science
Physics: Applied physics • Atomic physics • Computational physics • Condensed matter physics • Experimental physics • Mechanics • Particle physics • Plasma physics • Quantum mechanics (Intro) • Solid mechanics • Theoretical physics • Thermodynamics • Entropy • General relativity • M-theory • Special relativity
Social and Behavioral[show]Anthropology
Archaeology
Criminology
Demography
Economics
Geography
History
Political science
Psychology
Sociology
Applied[show]Computer science
Engineering: Agricultural engineering • Biomedical engineering • Chemical engineering • Civil engineering • Computer engineering • Electrical engineering • Fire protection engineering • Genetic engineering • Industrial engineering • Mechanical engineering • Military engineering • Mining engineering • Nuclear engineering • Software engineering • Test Engineering
Health sciences: Biological engineering • Dentistry • Epidemiology • Health care • Medicine • Nursing • Pharmacy • Veterinary medicine
Social work:
Related[show]Interdisciplinarity: Applied physics • Artificial intelligence • Bioethics • Bioinformatics • Biogeography • Biomedical engineering • Biostatistics • Cognitive science • Computational linguistics • Cultural studies • Cybernetics • Environmental studies • Ethnic studies • Evolutionary psychology • Forestry • Health • Library science • Logic • Mathematical biology • Mathematical physics • Scientific modelling • Neural engineering • Neuroscience • Political economy • Science and technology studies • Science studies • Semiotics • Sociobiology • Systems theory • Transdisciplinarity • Urban planning
History of science
Philosophy of science
Scientific method
v • d • e
Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning "knowledge") is, in its broadest sense, any systematic knowledge-base or prescriptive practice that is capable of resulting in a prediction or predictable type of outcome. In this sense, science may refer to a highly skilled technique or practice.[1]
In its more restricted contemporary sense, science is a system of acquiring knowledge based on scientific method, and to the organized body of knowledge gained through such research.[2][3] This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word. Science as discussed in this article is sometimes called experimental science to differentiate it from applied science, which is the application of scientific research to specific human needs—although the two are commonly interconnected.
Science is a continuing effort to discover and increase human knowledge and understanding through disciplined research. Using controlled methods, scientists collect observable evidence of natural or social phenomena, record measurable data relating to the observations, and analyze this information to construct theoretical explanations of how things work. The methods of scientific research include the generation of hypotheses about how phenomena work, and experimentation that tests these hypotheses under controlled conditions. Scientists are also expected to publish their information so other scientists can do similar experiments to double-check their conclusions. The results of this process enable better understanding of past events, and better ability to predict future events of the same kind as those that have been tested.
The ability of the general population to understand
