7 Misused Science Words

[n2doc]

Hypothesis. Theory. Law. These scientific words get bandied about regularly, yet the general public usually gets their meaning wrong.

Now, one scientist is arguing that people should do away with these misunderstood words altogether and replace them with the word "model." But those aren't the only science words that cause trouble, and simply replacing the words with others will just lead to new, widely misunderstood terms, several other scientists said.

"A word like 'theory' is a technical scientific term," said Michael Fayer, a chemist at Stanford University. "The fact that many people understand its scientific meaning incorrectly does not mean we should stop using it. It means we need better scientific education."

From "theory" to "significant," here are seven scientific words that are often misused.

1. Hypothesis

The general public so widely misuses the words hypothesis, theory and law that scientists should stop using these terms, writes physicist Rhett Allain of Southeastern Louisiana University, in a blog post on Wired Science. [Amazing Science: 25 Fun Facts]

"I don't think at this point it's worth saving those words," Allain told LiveScience.

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http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=just-a-theory-7-misused-science-words

[Scuba]

1. Do away with misunderstood words? Really? And he calls himself a "scientist"?

[TxDemChem]

2. I don't agree with doing away with them at all

If people don't get it, too bad.

[darkangel218]

3. A word that always pisses me of when i hear it is

Nukelar. It's NUCLEAR, ffs! Wtf is nukelar supposed to mean? Ugh...

[JHB]

4. Why, it's the correct spelling of 'nookyooler', of course.'

[darkangel218]

5. ...

[NutmegYankee]

8. But it's not CLEAR at all!

At least to morons.

I can't stand that pronunciation as well.

[Marrah_G]

6. I disagree with dumbing down

Instead we need to educate up.

[Ron Obvious]

7. +1