Synthesis Essay

Around us, intriguing phenomena occur incessantly. However, without observing and inquiring into the roots of such occurrences, many incidents would go unnoticed and unexplained. In fact, modern science always begins with observation. Initially, attempts to explain an observation form the basis of a valid hypothesis. Subsequently, more observations provide more experimental evidence to test these hypotheses; if the hypothesis stands, it becomes a theory, if it does not, a new hypothesis is needed.

More often than not, patterns found in observations are intentional. Scientists try to come up with valid explanations for the perceived pattern, and these explanation form the basis of a testable hypothesis. For example, Alfred Wegener, after discovering the boundaries of different

Since it existed, the continent had slowly broken apart and the pieces moved to their current positions and become the continents we observe now. Likewise, after finding that the structure of bones in the forelimbs of vertebrates are extremely similar, Charles Darwin put forward the hypothesis that all species evolve from a common ancestor, which became his central argument for his evolution by natural selection theory. Wegener and Darwin’s cases evidently demonstrate observations directly formulate hypotheses, which, in turn, is key to scientific process.

Hypotheses that came from observation must be tested by more experimental evidence to stand. For instance, the previously-mentioned Continental Drift hypothesis