New Journals In Theoretical Science

 The way that researchers utilize the word 'theory' might be somewhat unique in relation to how it's normally used in the lay open," said Jaime Tanner, a teacher of science at Marlboro College. "The vast majority utilize the word 'hypothesis' to mean an idea or hunch that someone has, however in science the word 'hypothesis' alludes to the way that we interpret facts." Every theory starts as a hypothesis. A scientific hypothesis may be a suggested solution for an unexplained occurrence that does not fit into a currently accepted theory. In other words, consistent with the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a hypothesis is a thought that hasn't been proven yet. If enough evidence accumulates to support a hypothesis, it moves to subsequent step — referred to as a theory — within the methodology and becomes accepted as a legitimate explanation of a phenomenon. Tanner further explained that a theory is that the framework for observations and facts. Theories may change, or the way that they're interpreted may change, but the facts themselves don't change. Tanner likens theories to a basket during which scientists keep facts and observations that they find. The form of that basket may change because the scientists learn more and include more facts. "For example, we've ample evidence of traits in populations becoming more or less common over time (evolution), so evolution may be a fact but the overarching theories about evolution, the way that we expect all of the facts go together might change as new observations of evolution are made," Tanner told Live Science.