Issue #15: May 22, 2025
What is Science?
By Paul Dennig Sr., PhD
Introduction:
Ever wonder how your smartphone works, how doctors can diagnose diseases, or why the sky is blue? Science isn’t just a subject you learn in a classroom; it’s the powerful detective work that unravels the mysteries of our universe and shapes the technology you use every single day. From the smallest particles to the vast expanse of space, science provides the tools and the mindset to explore, discover, and even change the world. Ready to see what it’s all about and how you could be a part of it?
This article helps you understand:
- Why Science Matters: Impacting your life and the world in crucial ways.
- The Language of Science: Exploring different branches to spark your interest.
- How Scientists Work: Breaking down the scientific method and contributing to a better, sustainable planet.
- Real Science in Action: Seeing a real-world example of scientific discovery.
- Your Future in Science: Discovering how you can explore and pursue a science path.
1. Why Science Matters: Your Real-Life Superpower!
Imagine your day without science. No smartphone, no internet, not even safe food or medicine. Hard to picture, right? That’s because science isn’t just a textbook subject; it’s the invisible force powering your entire world. It’s truly everywhere, solving critical problems and shaping our society.
What’s cool is that much of this amazing science is thanks to government funding. As astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson points out, the U.S. government’s investment in basic science is tiny—less than a penny of every tax dollar—yet it brings massive returns. Seriously, it’s one of society’s best investments.
Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson explains the incredible benefits we get from U.S. scientific research,
versus what we pay. We must keep funding science!
Image credit: StarTalk
Science keeps us safe. Take, for example, agencies like NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). It does many things, including eying the weather and alerting us to hurricanes, tornadoes, etc. Also, NOAA constantly monitors the sun’s activity and “space weather.” On May 14, 2025, we saw why this is crucial: solar flares caused communication blackouts across the globe! Imagine scrolling TikTok one minute, then your Wi-Fi goes out, your phone’s a brick, and GPS is kaput. That’s what happens when solar eruptions scramble our radio waves. Cutting funding for this vital research isn’t just about losing cool discoveries; it’s about risking our planet’s stability and our own safety.
The strong solar flare on May 14, 2025 (right, see blue arrow), which caused radio blackouts and increased Northern & Southern Lights here on Earth (left).
Image credits: NewsNytes: Most powerful solar flare of 2025 causes radio blackouts worldwide and
Forbes: Sun Wakes Up: Aurora Alert After Biggest Solar Flare Of 2025
Science also saves lives, big time. Think about vaccinations. These medical marvels, born directly from scientific research, have saved over 150 million lives worldwide in just the last 50 years! That’s not just a statistic; that’s millions of families spared from tragedy, and 150 million people who got to live, laugh, and contribute to the world. You can’t put a price tag on that kind of impact.
Image credit: Data plotted by the Foundation, from UNSW: 154 million lives saved in 50 years: 5 charts on the global success of vaccines
And this isn’t limited to one type of science. Historically, whether we invest in “pure” basic sciences, like understanding human biology, or more “applied” areas like the space program, the benefits are huge. The space program, believe it or not, helped kickstart the entire micro-electronics industry. That initial push into space led to the tech that eventually gave us distributed computers, the cell phones you’re practically glued to, and even the internet you’re using right now. Mind. Blown.
2. The Language of the Universe: Decoding the Branches of Science
Science isn’t just one thing; it’s a massive, diverse field, like “sports.” Just as sports break down into basketball or soccer, science has different branches, each with its own focus and tools. These branches exist because the universe is unbelievably complex—no single person could master it all. Specialization helps scientists dig deep and push the boundaries of what we know.
Image credit: This Foundation with information on the branches of science.
Meet the Big Three (and Their Awesome Sub-Branches!)
While there are tons of specialized fields, most science broadly falls into a few main categories:
1. Natural Sciences:
These are all about understanding the natural world, from the smallest particles to the entire cosmos.
- Physics: Ever wonder how the universe works at its most fundamental level? That’s physics! It explores energy, force, motion, space, time and more. Think black holes, quantum mechanics, and why your phone charger works. If you’re into figuring out the basic rules of reality, physics might be your jam.
- Chemistry: This is the science of matter – what stuff is made of, how it’s structured, and how it changes. From the chemical reactions in your body to creating new materials, chemistry is everywhere. If you love mixing things, understanding ingredients, or even baking, you’re already doing chemistry!
- Biology: This is the study of life! From microscopic bacteria to giant redwood trees and, of course, us humans. Biology covers genetics, evolution, ecosystems, and how living things function. If you’re fascinated by animals, plants, the human body, or even tiny viruses, biology is calling your name.
- Earth Sciences: This branch focuses on our planet itself! Think geology (rocks, earthquakes), oceanography (the ocean), meteorology (weather and climate), and environmental science (how we interact with Earth). If you’re passionate about climate change, natural disasters, or simply love exploring landscapes, this is your territory.
- Space Sciences (Astronomy & Astrophysics): Peeking beyond Earth, these sciences explore everything in outer space – stars, planets, galaxies, and the universe as a whole. If you spend nights gazing at the stars, dream of space travel, or wonder about aliens, this is where you belong!
2. Formal Sciences:
These branches deal with abstract concepts, logic, and patterns, often providing the tools for other sciences.
- Logic: This is the basis for all branches of science. We use it to express ourselves concisely and avoid thinking errors. It helps us to make conclusions that can help us predict what will happen in the future. It’s also the basis for how computers operate.
- Mathematics: The universal language of science! Math provides the frameworks and models to describe and analyze phenomena in all other scientific fields. If you love solving puzzles, seeing patterns, and using logic and crafting equations to describe them, then math is your playground!
- Statistics: The science of collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and presenting data. Essential for making sense of experiments and observations. If you’re good at spotting trends in data or want to predict future outcomes, statistics is super powerful.
3. Applied Sciences:
These branches take scientific knowledge and apply it to solve practical problems and develop new technologies. Here are a few:
- Engineering: This is where scientific principles meet practical design and construction. Think: building bridges, designing sustainable energy systems, creating medical devices, or developing new computers. If you love to build, design, or invent solutions to real-world problems, engineering is probably your future.
- Medicine: Applying biological and chemical knowledge to understand and treat human diseases, promote health, and develop new therapies. If you’re fascinated by the human body and want to help people, medicine is an incredibly rewarding path.
- Agriculture: Applying scientific principles to food production, farming practices, and sustainable land use. If you care about where our food comes from, protecting natural resources, or improving food security, this is vital.
Social Sciences:
Okay, we’ve talked about the natural world, numbers, and making cool stuff. But what about us, the human element? That’s where the awesome and incredibly important group of Social Sciences comes in.
Think of it like this: the universe is mind-blowingly complex, but so are humans! We’re curious, creative, sometimes a little chaotic, and we build incredibly intricate societies. The social sciences are all about diving deep into how societies work and why people do what they do.
This “dark yellow bubble” in the science branch drawing above includes fields like:
- Sociology: How do groups of people interact? What are social structures, and how do they impact our lives?
- Anthropology: Exploring human culture, development, and behavior across different societies, past and present.
- Culturology: Specifically focusing on the science of human cultures – their evolution, patterns, and impact.
- Linguistics: Not just learning a language, but understanding the science of language itself – how it’s structured, used, and has evolved.
- Political Science: How do governments work? What are power structures, and how do people make collective decisions?
- Psychology: The study of the human mind and behavior – why we think, feel, and act the way we do.
The cool thing is, you can apply scientific principles and statistics to study aspects of all these fields, just like you would in the natural sciences. And let’s be real: humans are super interesting creatures, so doesn’t it make total sense to spend a lot of time figuring out how we “roll”?
Quick Detour: Computers and Data Science
“What about Computer Science (CS) and Data Science?” Great question! While some folks debate their exact classification, they’re often seen as applied fields that use scientific principles for carrying out mundane tasks, doing calculations, and making analyses. Data Science, for example, heavily relies on statistics to make sense of information.
The Two Sides of the Scientific Coin: Theory vs. Experiment
Science isn’t just collecting facts; it’s figuring out why things happen and testing those ideas.
- Theory: Building models with math and logic to explain observations and predict new ones.
- Experiment: Designing ways to collect data to support, refine, or challenge theories.
Both are crucial and are intertwined.
Science: Your Ultimate Problem-Solving Tool
Think of science as a powerful tool in your intellectual toolkit. It gives you methods to explore new things and figure out how to fix problems. It’s like a trusty screwdriver that helps us continuously learn and adapt.
Science is a tool, just like a screwdriver. How each is used determines the outcome: success or failure.
Image source: this Foundation and Ideogram
Your Turn: Which Branch Calls to YOU?
Which branch sparks your curiosity the most? What questions do you ask? What problems do you wish you could solve? Thinking about these can reveal where your scientific interests and passion truly lie. Whether it’s space, the human body, or new tech, there’s a place for you. And remember, these branches constantly overlap, offering endless possibilities for collaboration and discovery!
3. How Scientists Work: The Scientific Method – Your Inner Detective Kit
So, you know what science is and why it matters. But how does all that groundbreaking stuff actually happen? Is there some secret handshake? Nope, it’s all about The Scientific Method—basically your ultimate detective kit for figuring things out. It’s a time-tested roadmap for asking smart questions, testing your ideas, and learning from what happens. And guess what? You probably use parts of it every single day without even realizing it!
Here’s your detective kit, broken down into key steps:
- Spot Your Passion (and the Mystery!):
- Pick a topic that genuinely interests you. What makes you wonder? What problem do you want to solve? Learn everything you can about it.
- Ask the Killer Question:
- Once you’re steeped in the topic, write down all the questions you have. Then, choose one you’re super curious about.
- Pro Tip: Before you go reinventing the wheel, do a quick search! Has anyone else already answered this question? If so, great! You learned something. Now, go find a new, unanswered question. If no one has answered your question, then… you’re blazing a new trail!
- Brainstorm All the Possibilities:
- What are all the potential answers to your question? Seriously, list them out or even draw them!
- Ideally, these answers should be “mutually exclusive” – meaning only one of them can be the correct one, making your life easier. If they overlap, try to rephrase your question until they don’t.
- Make Your Best Guess (The Hypothesis):
- Out of all those possibilities, pick the one you think is most likely right. This is your best educated guess, your starting point. In science-speak, it’s called your hypothesis.
- Design the Ultimate Test (The Experiment):
- Now, figure out how to put your hypothesis to the test! This is where you get creative.
- If your experiment involves measuring numbers (like temperature, time, or how many times something happens), plan how you’ll do it safely and consistently, multiple times. More data usually means more certainty!
- Why Numbers? Because they’re generally easier to compare and less open to interpretation than subjective observations.
- Be Bold & Be Prepared: Try a quick run-through to see how it goes. Then, design your entire experiment carefully before you start collecting all your real data.
- The raw info you collect here? That’s your data.
- Show What You’ve Found (The Results):
- Once you have your data, summarize it clearly. Charts, graphs, bullet points – whatever makes it easy to understand your findings. These are your results.
- What Does It All Mean? (The Conclusions):
- Time to interpret! Did your data support your original guess (hypothesis)? Awesome! Did it show something totally different? That’s still a win! You’ve learned something new and gotten closer to the truth, which is the ultimate goal.
- List all the implications of your findings. What does this mean for your topic, and possibly for the world? These are your conclusions.
- The Next Adventure (Future Work):
- Science never truly ends! Based on what you learned, what’s the next logical step? If you had unlimited time and resources, what would you explore next? This is your future work.
- Write It All Down (Documentation!):
- Spill the beans! Write up everything you did, how you did it, what you found, and what it means. Whether it’s a report, a cool poster, or a presentation, make sure it’s clear and to the point.
- The Gold Standard: You know you’ve done a great job if someone else can read your write-up and feel confident they could repeat your work exactly. That’s how science builds on itself!
- Share & Repeat!
- Present your findings! Get feedback. Then, take what you’ve learned, refine your questions, and start the cycle all over again. That’s how knowledge grows!
A Summary of the Scientific Method’s Core Steps
Image source: NASA: The scientific method and climate change: How scientists know
Post-Note: Hypothesis vs. Theory – Why Words Matter!
Now, let’s clear up something super important: the difference between a hypothesis and a theory.
A hypothesis is your best guess at an answer, a testable idea. But even if early data supports it, it’s still just a hypothesis.
A scientific theory, on the other hand, is an explanation for a broad range of phenomena that has been shown, time and time again, to be true through extensive observation and experimentation. It’s backed by a massive body of evidence, and we haven’t found a better explanation. Think of gravity or evolution—those are solid scientific theories.
Sometimes a hypothesis gets called a “theory” too quickly, which can mislead people. Science is self-correcting. When new information emerges (like recent observations challenging some parts of the Big Bang model), we revise our understanding, update our textbooks, and keep pushing for the most accurate picture of reality. It’s a continuous journey!
Why the Scientific Method is Your Secret Power
So, why bother with all these steps? The Scientific Method isn’t just a list of rules; it’s your personal blueprint for doing impactful, credible, and exciting work.
- It starts with YOUR passion: The best science begins with genuine curiosity, fueling your quest for answers.
- You speak a universal language: Using this method means scientists worldwide understand your work, enabling global teamwork and collaboration.
- Your work builds legacies: When science is done well and openly shared, others can verify and build upon your findings, creating even bigger discoveries. This is how you leave your mark!
Fairness and Openness: Science for Everyone!
Our Foundation believes that the Scientific Method is truly for everyone. It’s based on solid, time-tested principles, it’s accepted globally, and we’ve seen firsthand how powerful it is for solving tough scientific problems.
Think back to our “tool bag” analogy. If a screwdriver isn’t solving a problem, you don’t give up on tools! You find a better one, or you find an expert with a different tool and collaborate. Science works the same way: if an approach isn’t working, we adapt, find new methods, or team up with others who have different expertise. This is especially true when we can’t afford to do the science on our own. The goal is always to find the truth, and the method is open to all who seek it!
4. Real Science in Action: Paul’s Solar Power Quest!
Alright, we’ve talked about what science is, why it’s vital, and how scientists generally operate. Now, let’s bring it all to life with a real-world example! We’re diving into a super cool science fair project from Paul Dennig Jr. back in 2010.
Image: Paul Dennig, Jr., participating in 2010 with his project, “Solar Concentrators for Battery Chargers.”
Why Paul? Because his 6th-grade project totally crushed it – he snagged a first-place win at Silicon Valley’s huge science fair, the Synopsys™ Science & Technology Championship, and then went on to get a second place at the California State Science Fair. We’re celebrating his awesome work to highlight some fantastic life lessons he learned along the way.
Powering the Planet, One Battery at a Time
Paul was passionate about making a difference for people worldwide without electricity. His big idea? Figure out the best way to charge a rechargeable battery using solar cells. This combo is brilliant because once the battery is charged, you’ve got power even when the sun goes down!
Since solar cells can be pricey, Paul aimed to use smaller, more affordable silicon cells. The catch? On their own, these tiny cells don’t capture enough sunlight. So, Paul designed three different concentrators to help those cells gather sunlight more efficiently and economically. He then compared these three designs against a “control”—a fourth setup with no concentrator at all.
His concentrator designs included:
- Two spherical mirror designs (a small “cup” array or “cups,” and a larger “bowl”).
- One design using flat lenses.
Image: Cups, Lens, Bowl, and Control Setup (just solar cells).
His main goal was to find the cheapest and most efficient design. His initial guess, his hypothesis, was that the “cups” design would win. He thought its small, curved shape would capture sunlight no matter where the sun was in the sky.
Paul in Action!
Image: A cool shot of Paul Dennig, Jr. totally engrossed in his 2010 science fair project. He’s working on the “cups” design,
based on a recycled fruit container. You can see him soldering electrical connections.
(And a crucial safety reminder: always wear safety glasses!)
In this first part of his project, Paul meticulously compared the performance and cost of his three solar concentrator designs against the plain solar cell control. Every design used the exact same type and number of solar photovoltaic cells, making it a fair comparison.
The Data Tells the Story!
Paul collected a ton of data. We’re showing you two types of his data displays to illustrate how the Scientific Method plays out.
First, check out the line chart below. This shows the average electrical current generated by each design every hour from 9 AM to 4 PM, averaged over three days. It looks like either the lens or cups designs might be outperforming the plain solar cells. Interesting…
Image Description: A line chart showing daily electrical current measurements from 9 AM to 4 PM for four different solar collector designs:
control, cups, bowl, and lens. The x-axis is “Time of Day (Hour)” and the y-axis is “Electrical Current (Amperes).”
But wait, there’s more to the story! What really matters for a rechargeable battery is the total energy stored. So, Paul calculated the total solar collector energies by multiplying the voltage and current he’d recorded for each design.
He then plotted these total energies on a bar chart (check out the second image below!). And BAM! The results might surprise you: the control (the plain solar cell with no concentrator) actually produced the best overall result!
A bar chart comparing the total cumulative energy collected by four solar collector setups: Control, Cups, Bowl, and Lens.
The y-axis is labeled “Total Energy (Watt-Hours).” The Control bar is the tallest, indicating it collected the most energy,
followed by Cups, Lens, and Bowl in descending order.
Key Takeaways from Paul’s Experiment
Here are the big lessons from Paul’s exciting project:
- Hypotheses are Guesses, Not Guarantees
Paul thought the cups design would perform best, and his reasoning made sense. But his guess turned out to be wrong. The control setup with just solar cells outperformed the others in both cost and total energy. And you know what? That’s totally okay! - Embrace the “Wrong” Answer (It’s a Win!)
Paul learned something valuable from being wrong. He discovered that the sun moves throughout the day, and his experimental setups, facing a fixed point in the sky, could only collect sunlight during certain hours (see Figure 2 above). To solve this, he realized he needed a solar tracker, a device that moves the solar collector setups to follow the sun’s path, maximizing the amount of sunlight captured. He tested this idea the following year and proved himself right. - Trust Your Gut, Then Test It
If you have a strong instinct or idea, go for it. Design an experiment to test it. You might be right, or you might discover something unexpected, just like Paul did. Either way, you learn. - Success is a Journey, Not a Destination
Paul’s story shows that successes in science, and in life, come step by step. Keep learning, keep adapting, and keep moving forward. Often, progress comes from consistent effort and curiosity.
Level Up Your Skills: Hands-On Science!
Reading about science is cool, but doing science? That’s SO next level! Here are some ways you can jump in and practice your new scientific superpowers:
Science Fair Prep: Your Personal Science Detective Simulation!
Take an hour and actually practice setting up for a science fair using the 10 steps of the Scientific Method we outlined earlier. Seriously, grab a notebook, pick a topic, ask a question, brainstorm hypotheses—go through the motions! You might just stumble upon an amazing idea for a local science fair! Even if you don’t, this process will seriously train your brain in scientific thinking. It’s like a workout for your mind!
5. Your Path Ahead: Navigating the World of Science Courses
For many, “science” is just a collection of cool facts you read about. But once you close the book, do you still find yourself pondering the stars, our tiny blue-and-white ball hurtling through space, or the intricate life bursting forth from plants and animals outside your window?
If you find yourself even a little bit fascinated by these big questions, then there might just be an incredible future awaiting you in science. Seriously, there are no shortages of mysteries to solve!
If you’re feeling that pull towards a science path, here are your key goals for high school:
- Prep for College: Focus on taking courses that will give you a strong foundation for university-level science programs, usually strong math and science courses! And remember, language and visual arts are important for reading, and for expressing your new scientific findings well!
- Explore, Explore, Explore! Now’s the time to dive into different branches. Read, watch documentaries, talk to people! Start to narrow down which area truly excites you.
- Pro-Tip for College Apps: If you know you want to do science but haven’t picked a specific branch, don’t sweat it too much for college essays. You can generally declare a broad science interest and often change your mind once in college, after taking introductory courses. Just double-check entrance requirements with your counselor as you prepare your applications.
- Shadow a Pro: If you can, try to “shadow” someone working in a science field that interests you. Seeing a day in the life of a real scientist can be incredibly insightful and help you decide if that career path is for you!
About the Author
Paul Dennig, Jr. and Paul Dennig, Sr., at Stanford University, Nov. 2017.
Paul Sr.
Hi there! My name is Paul Dennig Sr. I grew up near Philadelphia, home to many famous people who have contributed to our country, including Benjamin Franklin. He helped to advance the science of electricity. I have worked in many technology fields, starting in my dad’s business – at his machine shop – as a very young man drilling holes and filing and sanding metal. His mom, my grandma, introduced me to minerals. In addition, I was always fascinated by rocketry and airplanes, as well as by electronics, astronomy, and our Earth. I’ve sought ways to weave my interests together. I’ve worked at NASA in a couple of areas, including on crystal growth experiments that flew in space. Other work I’ve done includes designing integrated circuits and their processes. I’ve supported the development of hard-disk drives, worked on carbon nanotube applications, and managed technical marketing and open innovation projects like energy storage and power electronics for vehicle charging. I earned my bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering (SBEE) from M.I.T. and my Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Stanford University. I did a post-doctoral fellowship at one of Japan’s national labs, and got to make diamonds and fly weightless (zero-G) in a research jet there. I enjoy making things with my hands, doing photography, gardening, learning to play musical instruments, and walking and playing with our dogs. As Paul Jr.’s dad, among many of his accomplishments, I’ve really enjoyed watching him grow up and learn about engineering and computer science concepts, and doing many things to help fellow Earthlings.
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