10 Facts About Scientific theory

Strength of a scientific theory is related to the diversity of phenomena it can explain and its simplicity.

Typically for any Scientific theory to be accepted within most academia there is one simple criterion.

Formal scientific definition of theory is quite different from the everyday meaning of the word.

Since each new version of a theory must have more predictive and explanatory power than the last, scientific knowledge consistently becomes more accurate over time.

Furthermore, until such a Scientific theory is proposed and accepted, the previous Scientific theory will be retained.

For example, it has been known since 1859 that the observed perihelion precession of Mercury violates Newtonian mechanics, but the Scientific theory remained the best explanation available until relativity was supported by sufficient evidence.

For example, atomic Scientific theory is an approximation of quantum mechanics.

The Scientific theory makes accurate predictions when the assumption is valid, and does not make accurate predictions when the assumption is not valid.

Popper summarized these statements by saying that the central criterion of the scientific status of a theory is its "falsifiability, or refutability, or testability".

The specific mathematical aspects of classical electromagnetic Scientific theory are termed "laws of electromagnetism", reflecting the level of consistent and reproducible evidence that supports them.