# kb

id: pseudoskepticism-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudoskepticism-1.md
category: reference
title: Pseudoskepticism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudoskepticism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:27.913494+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: pseudoskepticism-20260505-0
summary:
== Subsequent usage == Susan Blackmore, who lost her initial belief in parapsychology and in 1991 became a CSICOP fellow, later described what she termed the "worst kind of pseudoskepticism": There are some members of the skeptics' groups who clearly believe they know the right answer prior to inquiry. They appear not to be interested in weighing alternatives, investigating strange claims, or trying out psychic experiences or altered states for themselves (heaven forbid!), but only in promoting their own particular belief structure and cohesion. Hugo Anthony Meynell from the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Calgary, labels the "extreme position that all significant evidence supporting paranormal phenomena is a result of deception or lies" as pseudoskepticism. While Truzzi's characterization was aimed at the holders of majority views whom he considered were excessively impatient of minority opinions, the term has been used to describe advocates of minority intellectual positions who engage in pseudoskeptical behavior when they characterize themselves as "skeptics" despite cherry picking evidence that conforms to a preexisting belief. Thus according to Richard Cameron Wilson, some advocates of AIDS denial are indulging in "bogus scepticism" when they argue in this way. Wilson argues that the characteristic feature of


id: quietism-philosophy-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quietism_(philosophy)-0.md
category: reference
title: Quietism (philosophy)
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quietism_(philosophy)
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:30.409738+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: quietism-philosophy-20260505-0
summary:
Quietism in philosophy sees the role of philosophy as broadly therapeutic or remedial. Quietist philosophers believe that philosophy has no positive thesis to contribute; rather, it defuses confusions in the linguistic and conceptual frameworks of other subjects, including non-quietist philosophy. For quietists, advancing knowledge or settling debates (particularly those between realists and non-realists) is not the job of philosophy, rather philosophy should liberate the mind by diagnosing confusing concepts. == Status within philosophy == Crispin Wright said that "Quietism is the view that significant metaphysical debate is impossible." It has been described as "the view or stance that entails avoidance of substantive philosophical theorizing and is usually associated with certain forms of skepticism, pragmatism, and minimalism about truth. More particularly, it is opposed to putting forth positive theses and developing constructive arguments." Quietism by its nature is not a philosophical school as understood in the sense of a systematic body of truths. The objective of quietism is to show that philosophical positions or theories cannot solve problems, settle debates or advance knowledge. It is often raised in discussion as an opposite position to both philosophical realism and anti-realism. Specifically, quietists deny that there is any substantial debate between the positions


id: replicate-biology-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replicate_(biology)-0.md
category: reference
title: Replicate (biology)
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replicate_(biology)
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:31.643457+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: replicate-biology-20260505-0
summary:
In the biological sciences, replicates are an experimental units that are treated identically. Replicates are an essential component of experimental design because they provide an estimate of between sample error. Without replicates, scientists are unable to assess whether observed treatment effects are due to the experimental manipulation or due to random error. There are also analytical replicates which is when an exact copy of a sample is analyzed, such as a cell, organism or molecule, using exactly the same procedure. This is done in order to check for analytical error. In the absence of this type of error replicates should yield the same result. However, analytical replicates are not independent and cannot be used in tests of the hypothesis because they are still the same sample. == See also == Self-replication Fold change == References ==


id: replication-crisis-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis-0.md
category: reference
title: Replication crisis
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:33.005921+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: replication-crisis-20260505-0
summary:
The replication crisis, also known as the reproducibility or replicability crisis, refers to widespread failures to reproduce published scientific results. Because the reproducibility of empirical results is the cornerstone of the scientific method, such failures undermine the credibility of theories and challenge substantial parts of scientific knowledge. Psychology and medicine have been focal points for replication efforts, with researchers systematically reexamining classic studies to verify their reliability and, when failures emerge, to identify the underlying causes. Data strongly indicates that other natural and social sciences are also affected. The phrase "replication crisis" was coined in the early 2010s as part of a growing awareness of the problem. Considerations of causes and remedies have given rise to a new scientific discipline known as metascience, which uses methods of empirical research to examine empirical research practice. Researchers distinguish two forms of reproducibility. Reproducibility in a narrow sense refers to reexamining and validating the analysis of a set of data. The second category, replication, involves repeating an experiment or study with new, independent data to verify the original conclusions. == Background == === Replication === Replication has been called "the cornerstone of science". Environmental health scientist Stefan Schmidt began a 2009 review with


id: replication-crisis-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis-1.md
category: reference
title: Replication crisis
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:33.005921+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: replication-crisis-20260505-0
summary:
A null hypothesis test is a decision procedure which takes in some data, and outputs either H 0 {\displaystyle H_{0}} or H 1 {\displaystyle H_{1}} . If it outputs H 1 {\displaystyle H_{1}} , it is usually stated as "there is a statistically significant effect" or "the null hypothesis is rejected". Often, the statistical test is a (one-sided) threshold test, which is structured as follows: Gather data D {\displaystyle D} . Compute a test statistic t [ D ] {\displaystyle t[D]} for the data. Compare the test statistic against a critical value/threshold t threshold {\displaystyle t_{\text{threshold}}} . If t [ D ] > t threshold {\displaystyle t[D]>t_{\text{threshold}}} , then output H 1 {\displaystyle H_{1}} , else, output H 0 {\displaystyle H_{0}} . A two-sided threshold test is similar, but with two thresholds, such that it outputs H 1 {\displaystyle H_{1}} if either t [ D ] < t threshold − {\displaystyle t[D]<t_{\text{threshold}}^{-}} or t [ D ] > t threshold + {\displaystyle t[D]>t_{\text{threshold}}^{+}} There are 4 possible outcomes of a null hypothesis test: false negative, true negative, false positive, true positive. A false negative means that H 0 {\displaystyle H_{0}} is true, but the test outcome is H 1 {\displaystyle


id: replication-crisis-20260505-2
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis-2.md
category: reference
title: Replication crisis
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:33.005921+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: replication-crisis-20260505-0
summary:
Social priming failures: In the early 2010s, two direct replication attempts failed to reproduce results from social psychologist John Bargh's much-cited "elderly-walking" study (originally published in 1996). This experiment was part of a series of three studies that had been widely cited throughout the years, was regularly taught in university courses, and had inspired many conceptual replications. These replication failures triggered intense disagreement between replication researchers and the original authors. Notably, many of the conceptual replications of the original studies also failed to replicate in subsequent direct replications. Experiments on extrasensory perception: Social psychologist Daryl Bem conducted a series of experiments supposedly providing evidence for the controversial phenomenon of extrasensory perception. Bem faced substantial criticism of his study's methodology. Reanalysis of his data found no evidence for extrasensory perception. The experiment also failed to replicate in subsequent direct replications. According to Romero, what the community found particularly upsetting was that many of the flawed procedures and statistical tools used in Bem's studies were part of common research practice in psychology. Biomedical replication failures: Scientists from biotech companies Amgen and Bayer Healthcare reported alarmingly low replication rates (11–20%) of landmark findings in preclinical oncological research. P-hacking studies and questionable research practices:


id: replication-crisis-20260505-3
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis-3.md
category: reference
title: Replication crisis
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:33.005921+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: replication-crisis-20260505-0
summary:
=== In psychology === Several factors have combined to put psychology at the center of the conversation. Some areas of psychology once considered solid, such as social priming and ego depletion, have come under increased scrutiny due to failed replications. Much of the focus has been on social psychology, although other areas of psychology such as clinical psychology, developmental psychology, and educational research have also been implicated. In August 2015, the first open empirical study of reproducibility in psychology was published, called The Reproducibility Project: Psychology. Coordinated by psychologist Brian Nosek, researchers redid 100 studies in psychological science from three high-ranking psychology journals (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, and Psychological Science). Of 97 original studies with significant effects, 36% replicated successfully (p value below 0.05), with effect sizes averaging half the original magnitude. Among non-replications, 25% directly contradicted the original while 49% were inconclusive due to underpowered designs. The same paper examined the reproducibility rates and effect sizes by journal and discipline. Study replication rates were 23% for the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 48% for Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, and 38% for Psychological Science. Studies


id: replication-crisis-20260505-4
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis-4.md
category: reference
title: Replication crisis
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:33.005921+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: replication-crisis-20260505-0
summary:
=== Across fields === A 2016 survey by Nature on 1,576 researchers who took a brief online questionnaire on reproducibility found that more than 70% of researchers have tried and failed to reproduce another scientist's experiment results (including 87% of chemists, 77% of biologists, 69% of physicists and engineers, 67% of medical researchers, 64% of earth and environmental scientists, and 62% of all others), and more than half have failed to reproduce their own experiments. But fewer than 20% had been contacted by another researcher unable to reproduce their work. The survey found that fewer than 31% of researchers believe that failure to reproduce results means that the original result is probably wrong, although 52% agree that a significant replication crisis exists. Most researchers said they still trust the published literature. In 2010, Fanelli (2010) found that 91.5% of psychiatry/psychology studies confirmed the effects they were looking for, and concluded that the odds of this happening (a positive result) was around five times higher than in fields such as astronomy or geosciences. Fanelli argued that this is because researchers in "softer" sciences have fewer constraints to their conscious and unconscious biases. Early analysis of result-blind peer review, which is less


id: replication-crisis-20260505-5
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis-5.md
category: reference
title: Replication crisis
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:33.005921+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: replication-crisis-20260505-0
summary:
Academic "publish or perish" culture exacerbates publication bias. Intense pressure to publish in recognized journals, driven by hypercompetitive environments and bibliometric career evaluations, incentivizes researchers to prioritize publishable results over validity. According to Fanelli, this pushes scientists to employ a number of strategies aimed at making results "publishable". In the context of publication bias, this can mean adopting behaviors aimed at making results positive or statistically significant, often at the expense of their validity. According to Center for Open Science founder Brian Nosek and his colleagues, "publish or perish" culture created a situation whereby the goals and values of single scientists (e.g., publishability) are not aligned with the general goals of science (e.g., pursuing scientific truth). This is detrimental to the validity of published findings. Philosopher Brian D. Earp and psychologist Jim A. C. Everett argue that, although replication is in the best interests of academics and researchers as a group, features of academic psychological culture discourage replication by individual researchers. They argue that performing replications can be time-consuming, and take away resources from projects that reflect the researcher's original thinking. They are harder to publish, largely because they are unoriginal, and even when they can be published they are


id: replication-crisis-20260505-6
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis-6.md
category: reference
title: Replication crisis
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:33.005921+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: replication-crisis-20260505-0
summary:
==== In medicine ==== Irreproducible medical studies commonly share these characteristics: investigators not being blinded to the experimental versus the control arms; failure to repeat experiments; lack of positive and negative controls; failing to report all the data; inappropriate use of statistical tests; and use of reagents that were not appropriately validated. ==== In AI research ==== In machine learning research, a range of questionable practices have emerged due to intense pressure to achieve state-of-the-art benchmark results. Common evaluation questionable practices include "benchmark overfitting" by repeatedly tuning hyperparameters on held-out test sets, selectively reporting the best of multiple random seeds or experimental runs, and "metric hacking" through unreported post hoc decisions such as choice of tokenization or evaluation scripts that inflate scores. Researchers also frequently cherry-pick tasks or datasets where their proposed model outperforms baselines, omit negative or lower-performing results, and obscure compute budgets to present energy-intensive methods as efficient. Such practices can give a misleading impression of model progress and hinder fair comparisons across methods. Moreover, many machine learning studies suffer from irreproducible research practices that impede replication and auditing. Key issues include incomplete disclosure of training details—such as dataset preprocessing, exact model hyperparameters, random seeds, and hardware configurations—and


id: replication-crisis-20260505-7
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis-7.md
category: reference
title: Replication crisis
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:33.005921+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: replication-crisis-20260505-0
summary:
=== Statistical issues === ==== Low statistical power ==== Low statistical power hinders replication for three reasons: (1) low-power replications have reduced ability to detect true effects, (2) low-power original studies produce biased effect size estimates leading to undersized replications, and (3) low-power original studies yield results unlikely to reflect true effects. Mathematically, the probability of replicating a previous publication that rejected a null hypothesis H 0 {\displaystyle H_{0}} in favor of an alternative H 1 {\displaystyle H_{1}} is ( significance ) P r ( H 0 | publication ) + ( power ) P r ( H 1 | publication ) ≤ ( power ) {\displaystyle ({\text{significance}})Pr(H_{0}|{\text{publication}})+({\text{power}})Pr(H_{1}|{\text{publication}})\leq ({\text{power}})} assuming significance is less than power. Thus, low power implies low probability of replication, regardless of how the previous publication was designed, and regardless of which hypothesis is really true. Stanley and colleagues estimated the average statistical power of psychological literature by analyzing data from 200 meta-analyses. They found that on average, psychology studies have between 33.1% and 36.4% statistical power. These values are quite low compared to the 80% considered adequate statistical power for an experiment. Across the 200 meta-analyses, the median of studies with adequate statistical power was between


id: replication-crisis-20260505-8
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis-8.md
category: reference
title: Replication crisis
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:33.005921+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: replication-crisis-20260505-0
summary:
Various statistical methods can be applied to make the p-value appear smaller than it really is. This need not be malicious, as moderately flexible data analysis, routine in research, can increase the false-positive rate to above 60%. For example, if one collects some data, applies several different significance tests to it, and publishes only the one that happens to have a p-value less than 0.05, then the total p-value for "at least one significance test reaches p < 0.05" can be much larger than 0.05, because even if the null hypothesis were true, the probability that one out of many significance tests is extreme is not itself extreme. Typically, a statistical study has multiple steps, with several choices at each step, such as during data collection, outlier rejection, choice of test statistic, choice of one-tailed or two-tailed test, etc. These choices in the "garden of forking paths" multiply, creating many "researcher degrees of freedom". The effect is similar to the file-drawer problem, as the paths not taken are not published. Consider a simple illustration. Suppose the null hypothesis is true, and we have 20 possible significance tests to apply to the dataset. Also suppose the outcomes to the significance tests


id: replication-crisis-20260505-9
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis-9.md
category: reference
title: Replication crisis
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:33.005921+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: replication-crisis-20260505-0
summary:
==== Statistical heterogeneity ==== As also reported by Stanley and colleagues, a further reason studies might fail to replicate is high heterogeneity of the to-be-replicated effects. Heterogeneity (variance in research findings due to multiple true effect sizes rather than one) is measured by the I-squared statistic, which quantifies unexplained variation in effect sizes across studies. This variation can be due to differences in experimental methods, populations, cohorts, and statistical methods between replication studies. Heterogeneity poses a challenge to studies attempting to replicate previously found effect sizes. When heterogeneity is high, subsequent replications have a high probability of finding an effect size radically different than that of the original study. Importantly, significant levels of heterogeneity are also found in direct/exact replications of a study. Stanley and colleagues discuss this while reporting a study by quantitative behavioral scientist Richard Klein and colleagues, where the authors attempted to replicate 15 psychological effects across 36 different sites in Europe and the U.S. In the study, Klein and colleagues found significant amounts of heterogeneity in 8 out of 16 effects (I-squared = 23% to 91%). Importantly, while the replication sites intentionally differed on a variety of characteristics, such differences could account for very little heterogeneity


id: replication-crisis-20260505-10
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis-10.md
category: reference
title: Replication crisis
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:33.005921+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: replication-crisis-20260505-0
summary:
and the probability of replicating the statistical study is P r ( replication | find H 1 ) = P r ( find H 1 | H 1 ) P r ( H 1 | find H 1 ) + P r ( find H 1 | H 0 ) P r ( H 0 | find H 1 ) {\displaystyle Pr({\text{replication}}|{\text{ find }}H_{1})=Pr({\text{find }}H_{1}|H_{1})Pr(H_{1}|{\text{ find }}H_{1})+Pr({\text{find }}H_{1}|H_{0})Pr(H_{0}|{\text{ find }}H_{1})} which is also different from P r ( H 1 | find H 1 ) {\displaystyle Pr(H_{1}|{\text{ find }}H_{1})} . In particular, for a fixed level of significance, the probability of replication increases with power, and prior probability for H 1 {\displaystyle H_{1}} . If the prior probability for H 1 {\displaystyle H_{1}} is small, then one would require a high power for replication. For example, if the prior probability of the null hypothesis is P r ( H 0 ) = 0.9 {\displaystyle Pr(H_{0})=0.9} , and the study found a positive result, then the posterior probability for H 1 {\displaystyle H_{1}} is P r ( H 1 | find H 1 ) = 0.50 {\displaystyle Pr(H_{1}|{\text{ find }}H_{1})=0.50} , and the replication probability is P r ( replication |


id: replication-crisis-20260505-11
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis-11.md
category: reference
title: Replication crisis
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:33.005921+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: replication-crisis-20260505-0
summary:
== Consequences == When effects are wrongly stated as relevant in the literature, failure to detect this by replication will lead to the canonization of such false facts. A 2021 study found that papers in leading general interest, psychology and economics journals with findings that could not be replicated tend to be cited more over time than reproducible research papers, likely because these results are surprising or interesting. The trend is not affected by publication of failed reproductions, after which only 12% of papers that cite the original research will mention the failed replication. Further, experts are able to predict which studies will be replicable, leading the authors of the 2021 study, Marta Serra-Garcia and Uri Gneezy, to conclude that experts apply lower standards to interesting results when deciding whether to publish them. === Public awareness and perceptions === Concerns have been expressed within the scientific community that the general public may consider science less credible due to failed replications. Research supporting this concern is sparse, but a nationally representative survey in Germany showed that more than 75% of Germans have not heard of replication failures in science. The study also found that most Germans have positive perceptions of replication


id: replication-crisis-20260505-12
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis-12.md
category: reference
title: Replication crisis
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:33.005921+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: replication-crisis-20260505-0
summary:
In response to concerns in psychology about publication bias and data dredging, more than 140 psychology journals have adopted result-blind peer review. In this approach, studies are accepted not on the basis of their findings and after the studies are completed, but before they are conducted and on the basis of the methodological rigor of their experimental designs, and the theoretical justifications for their statistical analysis techniques before data collection or analysis is done. Early analysis of this procedure has estimated that 61% of result-blind studies have led to null results, in contrast to an estimated 5% to 20% in earlier research. In addition, large-scale collaborations between researchers working in multiple labs in different countries that regularly make their data openly available for different researchers to assess have become much more common in psychology. ==== Pre-registration of studies ==== Scientific publishing has begun using pre-registration reports to address the replication crisis. The registered report format requires authors to submit a description of the study methods and analyses prior to data collection. Once the method and analysis plan is vetted through peer-review, publication of the findings is provisionally guaranteed, based on whether the authors follow the proposed protocol. One goal of


id: replication-crisis-20260505-13
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis-13.md
category: reference
title: Replication crisis
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:33.005921+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: replication-crisis-20260505-0
summary:
==== Cross-validation ==== One common statistical problem is overfitting, that is, when researchers fit a regression model over a large number of variables but a small number of data points. For example, a typical fMRI study of emotion, personality, and social cognition has fewer than 100 subjects, but each subject has 10,000 voxels. The study would fit a sparse linear regression model that uses the voxels to predict a variable of interest, such as self-reported stress. But the study would then report on the p-value of the model on the same data it was fitted to. The standard approach in statistics, where data is split into a training and a validation set, is resisted because test subjects are expensive to acquire. One possible solution is cross-validation, which allows model validation while also allowing the whole dataset to be used for model-fitting. === Replication efforts === ==== Funding ==== In July 2016, the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research made €3 million available for replication studies. The funding is for replication based on reanalysis of existing data and replication by collecting and analysing new data. Funding is available in the areas of social sciences, health research and healthcare innovation. In 2013, the


id: replication-crisis-20260505-14
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis-14.md
category: reference
title: Replication crisis
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:33.005921+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: replication-crisis-20260505-0
summary:
The dominant scientific and statistical model of causation is the linear model. The linear model assumes that mental variables are stable properties which are independent of each other. In other words, these variables are not expected to influence each other. Instead, the model assumes that the variables will have an independent, linear effect on observable outcomes. Social scientists Sebastian Wallot and Damian Kelty-Stephen argue that the linear model is not always appropriate. An alternative is the complex system model which assumes that mental variables are interdependent. These variables are not assumed to be stable, rather they will interact and adapt to each specific context. They argue that the complex system model is often more appropriate in psychology, and that the use of the linear model when the complex system model is more appropriate will result in failed replications. ...psychology may be hoping for replications in the very measurements and under the very conditions where a growing body of psychological evidence explicitly discourages predicting replication. Failures to replicate may be plainly baked into the potentially incomplete, but broadly sweeping failure of human behavior to conform to the standard of independen[ce] ... ==== Replication should seek to revise theories ==== Replication is


id: reproducibility-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reproducibility-0.md
category: reference
title: Reproducibility
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reproducibility
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:34.237806+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: reproducibility-20260505-0
summary:
Reproducibility, closely related to replicability and repeatability, is a major principle underpinning the scientific method. For the findings of a study to be reproducible means that results obtained by an experiment or an observational study or in a statistical analysis of a data set should be achieved again with a high degree of reliability when the study is replicated. There are different kinds of replication but typically replication studies involve different researchers using the same methodology. Only after one or several such successful replications should a result be recognized as scientific knowledge. == History == The first to stress the importance of reproducibility in science was the Anglo-Irish chemist Robert Boyle, in England in the 17th century. Boyle's air pump was designed to generate and study vacuum, which at the time was a very controversial concept. Indeed, distinguished philosophers such as René Descartes and Thomas Hobbes denied the very possibility of vacuum existence. Historians of science Steven Shapin and Simon Schaffer, in their 1985 book Leviathan and the Air-Pump, describe the debate between Boyle and Hobbes, ostensibly over the nature of vacuum, as fundamentally an argument about how useful knowledge should be gained. Boyle, a pioneer of the experimental method,


id: reproducibility-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reproducibility-1.md
category: reference
title: Reproducibility
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reproducibility
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:34.237806+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: reproducibility-20260505-0
summary:
=== Reproducible research method === The term reproducible research refers to the idea that scientific results should be documented in such a way that their deduction is fully transparent. This requires a detailed description of the methods used to obtain the data and making the full dataset and the code to calculate the results easily accessible. This is the essential part of open science. To make any research project computationally reproducible, general practice involves all data and files being clearly separated, labelled, and documented. All operations should be fully documented and automated as much as practicable, avoiding manual intervention where feasible. The workflow should be designed as a sequence of smaller steps that are combined so that the intermediate outputs from one step directly feed as inputs into the next step. Version control should be used as it lets the history of the project be easily reviewed and allows for the documenting and tracking of changes in a transparent manner. A basic workflow for reproducible research involves data acquisition, data processing and data analysis. Data acquisition primarily consists of obtaining primary data from a primary source such as surveys, field observations, experimental research, or obtaining data from an existing source.


id: reproducibility-20260505-2
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reproducibility-2.md
category: reference
title: Reproducibility
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reproducibility
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:34.237806+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: reproducibility-20260505-0
summary:
== Noteworthy irreproducible results == Hideyo Noguchi became famous for correctly identifying the bacterial agent of syphilis, but also claimed that he could culture this agent in his laboratory. Nobody else has been able to produce this latter result. In March 1989, University of Utah chemists Stanley Pons and Martin Fleischmann reported the production of excess heat that could only be explained by a nuclear process ("cold fusion"). The report was astounding given the simplicity of the equipment: it was essentially an electrolysis cell containing heavy water and a palladium cathode which rapidly absorbed the deuterium produced during electrolysis. The news media reported on the experiments widely, and it was a front-page item on many newspapers around the world (see science by press conference). Over the next several months others tried to replicate the experiment, but were unsuccessful. Nikola Tesla claimed as early as 1899 to have used a high frequency current to light gas-filled lamps from over 25 miles (40 km) away without using wires. In 1904 he built Wardenclyffe Tower on Long Island to demonstrate means to send and receive power without connecting wires. The facility was never fully operational and was not completed due to economic problems,


id: reproducibility-project-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reproducibility_Project-0.md
category: reference
title: Reproducibility Project
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reproducibility_Project
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:35.507520+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: reproducibility-project-20260505-0
summary:
The Reproducibility Project is a series of crowdsourced collaborations aiming to reproduce published scientific studies, finding high rates of results which could not be replicated. It has resulted in two major initiatives focusing on the fields of psychology and cancer biology. The project has brought attention to the replication crisis, and has contributed to shifts in scientific culture and publishing practices to address it. The project was led by the Center for Open Science and its co-founder, Brian Nosek, who started the project in November 2011. == Results == Brian Nosek of University of Virginia and colleagues sought out to replicate 100 different studies, all published in 2008. The project pulled these studies from three different journals, Psychological Science, the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, and the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, published in 2008 to see if they could get the same results as the initial findings. 97 of the original studies had significant effects, but of those 97, only 36% of the replications yielded significant findings (p value below 0.05), and the effects were often smaller than those in the original papers. The authors emphasized that the findings reflect a problem that affects all


id: research-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research-0.md
category: reference
title: Research
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:36.820676+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: research-20260505-0
summary:
Research is creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge. It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness to controlling sources of bias and error. These activities are characterized by accounting and controlling for biases. A research project may be an expansion of past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures, or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole. The primary purposes of basic research (as opposed to applied research) are documentation, discovery, interpretation, and the research and development (R&D) of methods and systems for the advancement of human knowledge. Approaches to research depend on epistemologies, which vary considerably both within and between humanities and sciences. There are several forms of research: scientific, humanities, artistic, economic, social, business, marketing, practitioner research, life, technological, etc. The scientific study of research practices is known as meta-research. A researcher is a person who conducts research. == Etymology == The word research is derived from the Middle French "recherche", which means "to go about seeking", the term itself being derived from the Old French term "recerchier", a compound


id: research-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research-1.md
category: reference
title: Research
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:36.820676+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: research-20260505-0
summary:
=== Artistic research === Artistic research, also seen as 'practice-based research', can take form when creative works are considered both the research and the object of research itself. It is the debatable body of thought which offers an alternative to purely scientific methods in research in its search for knowledge and truth. The controversial trend of artistic teaching becoming more academics-oriented is leading to artistic research being accepted as the primary mode of enquiry in art as in the case of other disciplines. One of the characteristics of artistic research is that it must accept subjectivity as opposed to the classical scientific methods. As such, it is similar to the social sciences in using qualitative research and intersubjectivity as tools to apply measurement and critical analysis. Artistic research has been defined by the School of Dance and Circus (Dans och Cirkushögskolan, DOCH), Stockholm in the following manner – "Artistic research is to investigate and test with the purpose of gaining knowledge within and for our artistic disciplines. It is based on artistic practices, methods, and criticality. Through presented documentation, the insights gained shall be placed in a context." Artistic research aims to enhance knowledge and understanding with presentation of the


id: research-20260505-2
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research-2.md
category: reference
title: Research
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:36.820676+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: research-20260505-0
summary:
Identification of research problem Literature review Specifying the purpose of research Determining specific research questions Specification of a conceptual framework, sometimes including a set of hypotheses Choice of a methodology (for data collection) Data collection Verifying data Analyzing and interpreting the data Reporting and evaluating research Communicating the research findings and, possibly, recommendations The steps generally represent the overall process; however, they should be viewed as an ever-changing iterative process rather than a fixed set of steps. Most research begins with a general statement of the problem, or rather, the purpose for engaging in the study. The literature review identifies flaws or holes in previous research which provides justification for the study. Often, a literature review is conducted in a given subject area before a research question is identified. A gap in the current literature, as identified by a researcher, then engenders a research question. The research question may be parallel to the hypothesis. The hypothesis is the supposition to be tested. The researcher(s) collects data to test the hypothesis. The researcher(s) then analyzes and interprets the data via a variety of statistical methods, engaging in what is known as empirical research. The results of the data analysis in rejecting


id: research-20260505-3
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research-3.md
category: reference
title: Research
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:36.820676+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: research-20260505-0
summary:
Exploratory research, which helps to identify and define a problem or question. Constructive research, which tests theories and proposes solutions to a problem or question. Empirical research, which tests the feasibility of a solution using empirical evidence. There are two major types of empirical research design: qualitative research and quantitative research. Researchers choose qualitative or quantitative methods according to the nature of the research topic they want to investigate and the research questions they aim to answer: Qualitative research Qualitative research refers to much more subjective non-quantitative, use different methods of collecting data, analyzing data, interpreting data for meanings, definitions, characteristics, symbols metaphors of things. Qualitative research further classified into the following types: Ethnography: This research mainly focus on culture of group of people which includes share attributes, language, practices, structure, value, norms and material things, evaluate human lifestyle. Ethno: people, Grapho: to write, this disciple may include ethnic groups, ethno genesis, composition, resettlement and social welfare characteristics. Phenomenology: It is very powerful strategy for demonstrating methodology to health professions education as well as best suited for exploring challenging problems in health professions educations. In addition, PMP researcher Mandy Sha argued that a project management approach is necessary to control


id: research-20260505-4
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research-4.md
category: reference
title: Research
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:36.820676+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: research-20260505-0
summary:
In many disciplines, Western methods of conducting research are predominant. Researchers are overwhelmingly taught Western methods of data collection and study. The increasing participation of indigenous peoples as researchers has brought increased attention to the scientific lacuna in culturally sensitive methods of data collection. Western methods of data collection may not be the most accurate or relevant for research on non-Western societies. For example, "Hua Oranga" was created as a criterion for psychological evaluation in Māori populations, and is based on dimensions of mental health important to the Māori people – "taha wairua (the spiritual dimension), taha hinengaro (the mental dimension), taha tinana (the physical dimension), and taha whanau (the family dimension)". Even though Western dominance seems to be prominent in research, some scholars, such as Simon Marginson, argue for "the need [for] a plural university world". Marginson argues that the East Asian Confucian model could take over the Western model. This could be due to changes in funding for research both in the East and the West. Focused on emphasizing educational achievement, East Asian cultures, mainly in China and South Korea, have encouraged the increase of funding for research expansion. In contrast, in the Western academic world, notably in


id: research-20260505-5
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research-5.md
category: reference
title: Research
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:36.820676+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: research-20260505-0
summary:
Academic publishing is a system that is necessary for academic scholars to peer review the work and make it available for a wider audience. The system varies widely by field and is also always changing, if often slowly. Most academic work is published in journal article or book form. There is also a large body of research that exists in either a thesis or dissertation form. These forms of research can be found in databases explicitly for theses and dissertations. In publishing, STM publishing is an abbreviation for academic publications in science, technology, and medicine. Most established academic fields have their own scientific journals and other outlets for publication, though many academic journals are somewhat interdisciplinary, and publish work from several distinct fields or subfields. The kinds of publications that are accepted as contributions of knowledge or research vary greatly between fields, from the print to the electronic format. A study suggests that researchers should not give great consideration to findings that are not replicated frequently. It has also been suggested that all published studies should be subjected to some measure for assessing the validity or reliability of its procedures to prevent the publication of unproven findings. Business models are


id: research-ethics-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research_ethics-0.md
category: reference
title: Research ethics
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research_ethics
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:38.120390+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: research-ethics-20260505-0
summary:
Research ethics is a discipline within the study of applied ethics. Its scope ranges from general scientific integrity and misconduct to the treatment of human and animal subjects. The social responsibilities of scientists and researchers are not traditionally included and are less well defined. The discipline is most developed in medical research. Beyond the issues of falsification, fabrication, and plagiarism that arise in every scientific field, research design in human subject research and animal testing are the areas that raise ethical questions most often. The list of historic cases includes many large-scale violations and crimes against humanity such as Nazi human experimentation and the Tuskegee syphilis experiment which led to international codes of research ethics. No approach has been universally accepted, but typically cited codes are the 1947 Nuremberg Code, the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki, and the 1978 Belmont Report. Today, research ethics committees, such as those of the US, UK, and EU, govern and oversee the responsible conduct of research. One major goal being to reduce questionable research practices. Research in other fields such as social sciences, information technology, biotechnology, or engineering may generate ethical concerns. == History == The list of historic cases includes many large scale violations


id: retrodiction-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retrodiction-0.md
category: reference
title: Retrodiction
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retrodiction
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:40.816082+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: retrodiction-20260505-0
summary:
Retrodiction is the act of making a prediction about the past. It is also known as postdiction (but this should not be confused with the use of the term in criticisms of parapsychological research). == Activity == The activity of retrodiction (or postdiction) involves moving backwards in time, step-by-step, in as many stages as are considered necessary, from the present into the speculated past to establish the ultimate cause of a specific event (for instance, in the case of reverse engineering, forensics, etc.). Given that retrodiction is a process in which "past observations, events and data are used as evidence to infer the process(es) that produced them" and that diagnosis "involve[s] going from visible effects such as symptoms, signs and the like to their prior causes", the essential balance between prediction and retrodiction could be characterized as: retrodiction : diagnosis :: prediction : prognosis regardless of whether the prognosis is of the course of the disease in the absence of treatment, or of the application of a specific treatment regimen to a specific disorder in a particular patient: "We consider diagnostic inference to be based on causal thinking, although in doing diagnosis one has to mentally reverse the time order


id: role-of-chance-in-scientific-discoveries-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role_of_chance_in_scientific_discoveries-0.md
category: reference
title: Role of chance in scientific discoveries
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role_of_chance_in_scientific_discoveries
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:42.044739+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: role-of-chance-in-scientific-discoveries-20260505-0
summary:
The role of chance, or "luck", in science comprises all ways in which unexpected discoveries are made. Many domains, especially psychology, are concerned with the way science interacts with chance –particularly "serendipity" (accidents that, through sagacity, are transformed into opportunity). Psychologist Kevin Dunbar and colleagues estimate that between 30% and 50% of all scientific discoveries are accidental in some sense (see examples below). Scientists themselves in the 19th and 20th century acknowledged the role of fortunate luck or serendipity in discoveries. Psychologist Alan A. Baumeister says a scientist must be "sagacious" (attentive and clever) to benefit from an accident. Dunbar quotes Louis Pasteur's saying that "Chance favors only the prepared mind". The prepared mind, Dunbar suggests, is one trained for observational rigor. Dunbar adds that there is a great deal of writing about the role that serendipity ("happy accidents") plays in the scientific method. Research suggests that scientists are taught various heuristics and practices that allow their investigations to benefit, and not suffer, from accidents. First, careful control conditions allow scientists to properly identify something as "unexpected". Once a finding is recognized as legitimately unexpected and in need of explaining, researchers can attempt to explain it: They work across various


id: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism-0.md
category: reference
title: Royal Commission on Animal Magnetism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:43.347187+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-0
summary:
The Royal Commission on Animal Magnetism involved two entirely separate and independent French Royal Commissions, each appointed by Louis XVI in 1784, that were conducted simultaneously by a committee composed of four physicians from the Paris Faculty of Medicine (Faculté de médecine de Paris) and five scientists from the Royal Academy of Sciences (Académie des sciences) (the "Franklin Commission", named for Benjamin Franklin), and a second committee composed of five physicians from the Royal Society of Medicine (Société Royale de Médecine) (the "Society Commission"). Each Commission took five months to complete its investigations. The "Franklin" Report was presented to the King on 11 August 1784 – and was immediately published and very widely circulated throughout France and neighbouring countries – and the "Society" Report was presented to the King five days later on 16 August 1784. The "Franklin Commission's" investigations are notable as a very early "classic" example of a systematic controlled trial, which not only applied "sham" and "genuine" procedures to patients with "sham" and "genuine" disorders, but, significantly, was the first to use the "blindfolding" of both the investigators and their subjects. The report of the ["Franklin"] Royal Commission of 1784 ... is a masterpiece of its genre,


id: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism-1.md
category: reference
title: Royal Commission on Animal Magnetism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:43.347187+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-0
summary:
From the perspective of a given phenomenon, one can look down to the entities and activities composing it. One can look up to the higher-level mechanisms of which it is a component. One can look back to the mechanisms that come before it or by which it developed. One can look forward to what comes after it. [And, finally] one can look around to see the wider context with which it operates. === Tensions within the royal family === Prior to his arrival in Paris in 1777 – with a letter of recommendation from Chancellor von Kaunitz of the Habsburg monarchy to the Austrian Ambassador to France, the Comte de Mercy-Argenteau (who, in turn, introduced Mesmer to Jean-Baptiste Le Roy (1720–1800), the Director of the Academy of Sciences) – Mesmer was already known to Marie Antoinette. At the urging of her two closest friends, Marie-Paule Angélique d’Albert de Luynes (1744–1781), "the Duchesse de Chaulnes" and Marie Thérèse Louise de Savoie-Carignan (1749–1792), "the Princess of Lamballe", both of whom "had benefited from Mesmer's treatment", Marie Antoinette had been able to arrange for both Mesmer and d'Eslon to be officially "interviewed" by (an otherwise unidentified) representative of the King on 14 March


id: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-2
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism-2.md
category: reference
title: Royal Commission on Animal Magnetism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:43.347187+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-0
summary:
=== Scientific issues === In a prevailing atmosphere of "[an overall] redefinition of frontiers in the legitimacy of knowledge" – and, in relation to Mesmer's claims, a redefinition "which did not necessarily match the public popularity that they attracted" (Zanetti, 2018), p. 59) – the issue of the existence (or not) of a substantial "magnetic fluid" and/or "animal magnetism" required resolution. === Medical issues === At a time when, in relation to "healers and healing", the conglomerate of "physicians, empirics, surgeons, apothecaries, folk healers, and religious personalities all vied with each other (as well as worked together) for medical legitimacy and patients" (Broomhall, 2004, p. 5), Mesmer was not only a "foreign national", but also one that had no affiliation of any kind with any known professional medical association within France (or elsewhere in Europe); and, as a consequence, his professional conduct, his medical practice, his medico-commercial enterprises, and his therapeutic endeavours were not regulated in any way. Moreover, the efficacy of Mesmer's interventions had never been objectively tested, neither the agency nor the (pre- and post-intervention) veracity of his supposed "cures" had ever been objectively verified, and, finally, in relation to the presenting conditions of those with (supposedly) 'real'


id: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-3
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism-3.md
category: reference
title: Royal Commission on Animal Magnetism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:43.347187+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-0
summary:
The second of the two Royal Commissions, usually referred to as the "Society Commission", was appointed on 5 April 1784. It was composed of five eminent physicians from the Royal Society of Medicine – the physician and one of the first members of the Royal Society, Charles-Louis-François Andry (1741–1829), the physician Claude-Antoine Caille (b. 1743), the botanist Antoine Laurent de Jussieu (1748–1836), the physician, Collège de France professor, one of the original directors of the Royal Society, and committed advocate of the therapeutic applications of electricity, Pierre Jean Claude Mauduyt de La Varenne (1732–1792), and the physician and Professor of chemistry in the Collège de France, Pierre-Isaac Poissonnier (1720–1798) – and, as Pattie remarks (1994, p. 156), "the impression given by [their] report is that the commissioners were busy practitioners who wanted to devote no more time to the project than was necessary". Although the investigations of the "Society Commission" were less thorough and less detailed than those of the "Franklin Commission" they were essentially of the same nature, and it is a matter of fact that neither Commission examined Mesmer's practices – they only examined the practices of d'Eslon. == Franz Mesmer == Franz Anton Mesmer (1734–1815), born in


id: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-4
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism-4.md
category: reference
title: Royal Commission on Animal Magnetism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:43.347187+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-0
summary:
=== A concept that must not be reified === It is clear from his Mémoire (1799) that Mesmer was very aware of the human propensity – in the normal, conventional use of language (la langue de convention) – to speak of "properties" or "qualities" (i.e., these "metaphysical abstractions", illusions de la méthaphysique), as if they were "substances": in Mesmer's words, "substantivise the properties", substantisia les propriétés (Mesmer 1799, pp. 15–17). – in other words, "reification", in the manner of Whitehead's "fallacy of misplaced concreteness". Mesmer was also well aware of the extent to which, through the "distortion" caused by these "substantive words" (mot substantif) – which inappropriately "personified" (personnifia) these metaphysical abstractions (p. 16) – one is induced to believe in the actual physical existence of the "substance" itself. Given these observations, Mesmer was most emphatic in his continuous warnings that his abstract "principles" should not be "substantivised". It is significant that Mesmer (1799) describes how, once he had formulated the abstract, overarching (metaphorical) construct/concept of "animal magnetism" as the therapeutic agent (a quarter of a century earlier) – and with his hope that this newly described "principle of action" (principe de action), when considered as an agent, "could become


id: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-5
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism-5.md
category: reference
title: Royal Commission on Animal Magnetism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:43.347187+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-0
summary:
=== Post-Mesmer === In late 1782, and eighteen months before the Royal Commission, d'Eslon had (acrimoniously) parted ways with Mesmer; and, despite a brief reconciliation, the relationship was terminated in late 1783. On 28 December 1783, d'Eslon wrote a letter to the Journal de Paris, which not only described the difficulties he had experienced with Mesmer, but also announced that he was opening his own (entirely independent) clinic. Following his break with Mesmer, d'Eslon not only launched his own clinical operation on his break with Mesmer, d'Eslon took all of the patients he had brought to Mesmer with him – but also began teaching his own theories and practices (i.e., rather than those of Mesmer). According to d'Eslon's own account (d'Eslon, 1784b, pp. 25–26), Mesmer had taught 300 students, 160 of whom were medical men (médecins), and d'Eslon himself had taught 160 medical men (this group included 21 members of the Paris Faculty of Medicine). Given that many of those who had privately paid Mesmer for the details of "the secret" were greatly dissatisfied, and had "[justifiably] accused [Mesmer] of having enunciated a theory which was merely a collection of obscure principles" (Binet & Féré, 1888, p. 13), it seems


id: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-6
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism-6.md
category: reference
title: Royal Commission on Animal Magnetism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:43.347187+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-0
summary:
[The baquet] is a vat about six to seven feet, more or less, in diameter by eighteen inches in height. There is a double bottom in the interior of this vat, in which fragments of broken bottles, gravel, stones, and sticks of pounded sulfur and iron filings are placed. All of this is filled with water and covered up with a floor nailed into the vat. On the surface of the lid, six inches in from the rim, one makes various holes in order to allow the passage of iron rods which are arranged so that one end penetrates the bottom of the vat and the other is directed, by means of a curve, over the pit of the stomach of the patient or other affected parts of the body. Mesmer specifically stressed the primary importance of the patients' hand-holding as a factor in the "augmentation" of the force/quality of the power of the "animal magnetism". Moreover, and significantly, Mesmer (separately) acknowledged that, if it was ever to come to pass that he had a suitable "establishment" – i.e., one with sufficient space available for all the assembled patients to hold hands – he would "abolish the use of baquets"


id: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-7
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism-7.md
category: reference
title: Royal Commission on Animal Magnetism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:43.347187+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-0
summary:
In his response to the Reports (d'Eslon, 1784b, pp. 21–22), d'Eslon complained that the Commissioners' emphasis on "convulsions" was not justified: among those who received group treatment during the commission's investigations (i.e., involving "50 to 60 individuals"), he wrote, there were never more than six or seven who displayed "convulsions" to any degree – and, further, of the more than 500 patients he had treated over the preceding three years, only 20 of those had manifested "convulsions" (and almost all of those had been suffering from "convulsions" before presenting for any treatment from d'Eslon). He also rejected the suggestions of any connection between the "convulsions" of epilepsy and those of the "crises", citing the cases of two of his patients, who were epileptic and "frequently had seizures at home", who never had a single "attack" during their treatment at his clinic (p. 23). Joseph Michel Antoine Servan, the one time Advocate-General to the Parlement of Grenoble, who reported (at Servan, 1784, p. 3) that, in "the Provinces" – where the various social classes were not kept apart around "the baquet", as they were in Paris – that, in relation to the concerns that the Commissioners expressed in relation to the


id: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-8
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism-8.md
category: reference
title: Royal Commission on Animal Magnetism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:43.347187+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-0
summary:
=== The substantial existence of "animal magnetism" and "magnetic fluid" were investigated === Rather than being concerned with the applications, utility, and clinical efficacy of d'Eslon's "animal magnetism", the primary concern of each Commission was the significant, crucial, and exclusive question of whether or not d'Eslon's (supposed) "animal magnetic fluid" actually existed in some substantial physical way – for the simple reason that, as the two sets of Commissioners each noted in their independent reports, "Animal magnetism may well exist without being useful but it cannot be useful if it does not exist." === Mesmer's earlier refusal to have his "magnetic" interventions scrutinized === Already, in his earlier (18 September 1780) interaction with the Paris Faculty of Medicine, Mesmer had refused to have his therapeutic interventions on a set of entirely "new" patients directly scrutinized, claiming that his already-achieved "cures" were an objective matter of record. Mesmer justified his refusal as follows: Here is what I said to M. de Lassonne; however bizarre [it may seem] at first sight it is nevertheless entirely serious and very much applicable to the question. When a thief is convicted of theft he is hanged: when a murderer is convicted of murder he is


id: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-9
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism-9.md
category: reference
title: Royal Commission on Animal Magnetism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:43.347187+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-0
summary:
it was [their] duty ... to confine themselves to arguments purely physical, that is, to the momentaneous [sic] effects of the fluid upon the animal frame, excluding from these effects all the illusions which might mix with them, and assuring themselves that they could proceed from no other cause than the animal magnetism." === Problems with objectively determining the precise therapeutic action of any supposed "efficacious remedy" === In support of its decision, the "Franklin Commission" produced a cogent, extended argument, consistent with the medical knowledge of the day, that is equally relevant to similar investigations in the present day: The majority of diseases have their seat in the interior part of our frame. The collective experience of a great number of centuries has made us acquainted with the symptoms, which indicate and discriminate them; the same experience has taught the method in which they are to be treated. What is the object of the efforts of the physician in this method? It is not to oppose and to subdue nature, it is to assist her in her operations. Nature, says the father of the medical science [viz., Hippocrates], cures the diseased; but sometimes she encounters obstacles, which constrain her


id: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-10
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism-10.md
category: reference
title: Royal Commission on Animal Magnetism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:43.347187+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-0
summary:
They saw in the centre of a large apartment a circular box, made of oak, and about a foot or a foot and an [sic] half deep, which is called the bucket [baquet]; the lid of this box is pierced with a number of holes, in which are inserted branches of iron, elbowed and moveable. The patients are arranged in ranks about this [baquet], and each has his branch of iron, which by means of the elbow may be applied immediately to the part affected; a cord passed round their bodies connects them one with the other: sometimes a second means of communication is introduced, by the insertion of the thumb of each patient between the forefinger and thumb of the patient next him; the thumb thus inserted is pressed by the person holding it; the impression received by the left hand of the patient, communicates through his right, and thus passes through the whole circle.A piano forté is placed in one corner of the apartment, and different airs are played with various degrees of rapidity; vocal music is sometimes added to the instrumental.The persons who superintend the process, have each of them an iron rod in his hand, from


id: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-11
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism-11.md
category: reference
title: Royal Commission on Animal Magnetism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:43.347187+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-0
summary:
==== Immediate publication and dissemination ==== The report was immediately published by the government printer; and at least 20,000 copies were rapidly and very widely circulated throughout France and neighbouring countries. Within four months (16 December 1784), the London publishing house of Joseph Johnson was announcing the publication of a complete English version, translated by William Godwin (i.e., Godwin, 1785), and, in between February and July 1785, four different "periodical abridgements of the Franklin report, each printed multiple times in the Atlantic coast publications" were published in the United States (Ogden, 2012, p. 167); and, in 1837, Godwin's complete translation was published, in Philadelphia, as part of a collected work. ==== Touch, imagination, and imitation ==== Clearly "recogniz[ing] that publicly endorsing the curative effects of a technique that had no demonstrable basis in the science of the late 18th century could lead to a proliferation of medical quackery" (McConkey & Perry, 2002, p. 328) and, based on their own "experiments" and "observations", the Commissioners concluded that "the true causes of the effects attributed to this new agent known by the name of animal magnetism, [and] to this fluid which is said to circulate in the body and to communicate itself


id: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-12
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism-12.md
category: reference
title: Royal Commission on Animal Magnetism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:43.347187+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-0
summary:
On 4 September 1784, Bailly presented a third, brief (15 page) courtesy report to the Royal Academy of Sciences (Bailly, 1784b) on behalf of himself, Franklin, Le Roy, de Bory, and Lavoisier (i.e., those Commissioners who were also Academy members), which provided their Academy colleagues with a brief account of the commission's proceedings, the rationale behind its investigations, and the results. Noting that all of their investigations were jointly conducted with the four members of the Paris Faculty, and that all nine shared the same "interest in [discovering] the truth", they stressed that all the findings of their combined efforts were unanimous (p. 2). ==== The importance of "the Sciences" ==== Further (p. 4), given that the understanding of the Sciences – "which [collectively] are increased by [establishing] the truth" (qui s'accroissent par les vérités) – is increased by "the suppression of error": i.e., given that "error" is always "a bad leaven that ferments and, in the long run, corrupts the mass into which it has been introduced". By contrast, however, in those cases wherein the "error" has been generated by "The Empire of Science", and has spread to "the multitude" – not only to divide and agitate minds, but


id: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-13
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism-13.md
category: reference
title: Royal Commission on Animal Magnetism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:43.347187+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-0
summary:
Part One (pp. 2–21), discussing the theories of the practices known as "Animal Magnetism". It commences with d'Eslon's definition of "animal magnetism"; namely that it is "the action which one man exercises on another, either through immediate contact or at a certain distance by the mere pointing of a finger or any kind of conduct", and that "this action", according to d'Eslon, "is the effect of a fluid that is distributed throughout the universe" Part Two (pp. 22–37), discussing the procedures and practices of "Animal Magnetism", as well as addressing the issues of their therapeutic efficacy (or not), and those of whether (or not) the procedures/practices should be admitted to conventional medical practice ("doivent-ils être admis en Médecine!": p. 22). The conclusions drawn (pp. 37–39) were, in brief, that they had found no evidence of d'Eslon's "magnetic fluid", that there were "no grounds for any belief in animal magnetism", that "the effects attributed to it are due to known causes", including not only the influence of "contact", "imagination", and/or "imitation", but also the influence of "the environment of the treatment room with its closed windows, fetid air, dim light, and the sight of other patients [and their responses to their


id: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-14
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism-14.md
category: reference
title: Royal Commission on Animal Magnetism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:43.347187+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-0
summary:
=== Response of the Paris Faculty of Medicine === Immediately following the release of the reports of the two Commissions, the Paris Faculty of Medicine "pressure[d] its own members to renounce animal magnetism" (Crabtree, 1993, p. 32). The Faculty identified some thirty of its docteurs-régent, including François Louis Thomas d'Onglée and Charles-Louis Varnier, who "openly favored animal magnetism or were suspected of so doing". According to the contemporary account of Thomas d'Onglée (1785, passim), the thirty "magnetic physicians" were subjected to "abuse" and were presented with a declaration, of which it was demanded that they sign. Both Thomas d'Onglée and Varnier, among others, refused to sign the declaration (and were, thereby, immediately expelled). The declaration in question read: No Doctor may declare himself a partisan of animal magnetism, through writings or through practice, under penalty of being removed from the role of docteurs-régents. === D'Eslon's response === D'Eslon immediately published an attack on the commission's reports, in which he criticized their failure to investigate the longer-term effects of his treatments, and their refusal to accept his (alleged) "cures" as proof of the existence of "animal magnetism", as well as noting that, "the commissioners' recommendation that the practice of magnetism should


id: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-15
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism-15.md
category: reference
title: Royal Commission on Animal Magnetism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:43.347187+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-0
summary:
The "classic" structure of the investigations undertaken by the "Franklin" Commission inspired – among many others over the ensuing years – the (1799) investigations of Chester physician John Haygarth (1740–1827) into the efficacy of Perkins' "tractors". In the process of discussing the experiments he had conducted (with medical colleagues as witnesses) with (dummy) "wooden tractors" on 7 January 1799, and with Perkins' "true metallick tractors" on 8 January 1799, Haygarth emphasized his considerable debt to the (earlier) "Franklin Commission" enterprise: It need not be remarked, how completely the trial illustrates the nature of this popular illusion, which has so wonderfully prevailed, and spread so rapidly; it resembles, in a striking manner, that of Animal Magnetism, which merited the attention of Dr. Franklin, when ambassador from America, and of other philosophers at Paris. If any person would repeat these experiments, they should be performed with due solemnity. During the process, the wonderful cures which this remedy is said to have performed ought to be particularly related. Without these indispensable aids, other trials will not prove as successful as those which are above reported. The whole effect undoubtedly depends upon the impression which can be made upon the patient's Imagination. This method


id: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-16
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism-16.md
category: reference
title: Royal Commission on Animal Magnetism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_Animal_Magnetism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:43.347187+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: royal-commission-on-animal-magnetism-20260505-0
summary:
The noted neurologist and psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud not only studied and wrote about "hypnosis" (e.g., Freud, 1891, and 1966), but he also actively used "hypnosis" in his clinical practice for some time. However the (à la Salpêtrière) "hypnosis" that Freud employed – quite unlike the conventional "hypnotism" of James Braid (that was induced by Braid's standard "upwards and inwards squint") – relied upon an induction process that often involved rubbing the top of a patient's head. This requirement, of course, demanded that Freud sat at the end of the therapeutic couch – in order to gain easy access to his subject's head – a practice that Freud continued to follow for his entire (post-"hypnosis") professional career. Another vestige of phreno-magnetism that demanded that Freud position himself at the patient's head was Freud's application of the "head pressure" technique that he had, in person, observed Hippolyte Bernheim use, on one of his visits to Bernheim's clinic at Nancy in 1899. Freud had discontinued this "head pressure" practice by, at least, 1904 – and, possibly, by 1900. === Mistaken identification of Esdaile's Jhar-Phoonk with d’Eslon's magnetization-by-contact === Due, to a large extent, to the (mistaken) enthusiastic promotion of Esdaile's (otherwise) valuable work


id: sampling-statistics-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampling_(statistics)-0.md
category: reference
title: Sampling (statistics)
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampling_(statistics)
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:44.602997+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: sampling-statistics-20260505-0
summary:
In statistics, quality assurance, and survey methodology, sampling is the selection of a subset of individuals from within a statistical population to estimate characteristics of the whole population. The subset, called a statistical sample (or sample, for short), is meant to reflect the whole population, and statisticians attempt to collect samples that are representative of the population. Sampling has lower costs and faster data collection compared to a census recording data from the entire population (in many cases, collecting the whole population is impossible, like getting sizes of all stars in the universe). Thus, it can provide insights in cases where it is infeasible to measure an entire population. Each observation measures one or more properties (such as weight, location, colour or mass) of independent objects or individuals. In survey sampling, weights can be applied to the data to adjust for the sample design, particularly in stratified sampling. Results from probability theory and statistical theory are employed to guide the practice. In business and medical research, sampling is widely used for gathering information about a population. Acceptance sampling is used to determine if a production lot of material meets the governing specifications. == History == Random sampling by using lots


id: sampling-statistics-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampling_(statistics)-1.md
category: reference
title: Sampling (statistics)
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampling_(statistics)
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:44.602997+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: sampling-statistics-20260505-0
summary:
In the most straightforward case, such as the sampling of a batch of material from production (acceptance sampling by lots), it would be most desirable to identify and measure every single item in the population and to include any one of them in our sample. However, in the more general case this is not usually possible or practical. There is no way to identify all rats in the set of all rats. Where voting is not compulsory, there is no way to identify which people will vote at a forthcoming election (in advance of the election). These imprecise populations are not amenable to sampling in any of the ways below and to which we could apply statistical theory. As a remedy, we seek a sampling frame which has the property that we can identify every single element and include any in our sample. The most straightforward type of frame is a list of elements of the population (preferably the entire population) with appropriate contact information. For example, in an opinion poll, possible sampling frames include an electoral register and a telephone directory. A probability sample is a sample in which every unit in the population has a chance (greater than


id: sampling-statistics-20260505-2
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampling_(statistics)-2.md
category: reference
title: Sampling (statistics)
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampling_(statistics)
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:44.602997+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: sampling-statistics-20260505-0
summary:
In a simple random sample (SRS) of a given size, all subsets of a sampling frame have an equal probability of being selected. Each element of the frame thus has an equal probability of selection: the frame is not subdivided or partitioned. Furthermore, any given pair of elements has the same chance of selection as any other such pair (and similarly for triples, and so on). This minimizes bias and simplifies analysis of results. In particular, the variance between individual results within the sample is a good indicator of variance in the overall population, which makes it relatively easy to estimate the accuracy of results. Simple random sampling can be vulnerable to sampling error because the randomness of the selection may result in a sample that does not reflect the makeup of the population. For instance, a simple random sample of ten people from a given country will on average produce five men and five women, but any given trial is likely to overrepresent one sex and underrepresent the other. Systematic and stratified techniques attempt to overcome this problem by "using information about the population" to choose a more "representative" sample. Also, simple random sampling can be cumbersome and tedious


id: sampling-statistics-20260505-3
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampling_(statistics)-3.md
category: reference
title: Sampling (statistics)
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampling_(statistics)
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:44.602997+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: sampling-statistics-20260505-0
summary:
When the population embraces a number of distinct categories, the frame can be organized by these categories into separate "strata." Each stratum is then sampled as an independent sub-population, out of which individual elements can be randomly selected. The ratio of the size of this random selection (or sample) to the size of the population is called a sampling fraction. There are several potential benefits to stratified sampling. First, dividing the population into distinct, independent strata can enable researchers to draw inferences about specific subgroups that may be lost in a more generalized random sample. Second, utilizing a stratified sampling method can lead to more efficient statistical estimates (provided that strata are selected based upon relevance to the criterion in question, instead of availability of the samples). Even if a stratified sampling approach does not lead to increased statistical efficiency, such a tactic will not result in less efficiency than would simple random sampling, provided that each stratum is proportional to the group's size in the population. Third, it is sometimes the case that data are more readily available for individual, pre-existing strata within a population than for the overall population; in such cases, using a stratified sampling approach may


id: sampling-statistics-20260505-4
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampling_(statistics)-4.md
category: reference
title: Sampling (statistics)
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampling_(statistics)
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:44.602997+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: sampling-statistics-20260505-0
summary:
Example: Suppose we have six schools with populations of 150, 180, 200, 220, 260, and 490 students respectively (total 1500 students), and we want to use student population as the basis for a PPS sample of size three. To do this, we could allocate the first school numbers 1 to 150, the second school 151 to 330 (= 150 + 180), the third school 331 to 530, and so on to the last school (1011 to 1500). We then generate a random start between 1 and 500 (equal to 1500/3) and count through the school populations by multiples of 500. If our random start was 137, we would select the schools which have been allocated numbers 137, 637, and 1137, i.e. the first, fourth, and sixth schools. The PPS approach can improve accuracy for a given sample size by concentrating sample on large elements that have the greatest impact on population estimates. PPS sampling is commonly used for surveys of businesses, where element size varies greatly and auxiliary information is often available – for instance, a survey attempting to measure the number of guest-nights spent in hotels might use each hotel's number of rooms as an auxiliary variable. In some


id: sampling-statistics-20260505-5
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampling_(statistics)-5.md
category: reference
title: Sampling (statistics)
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampling_(statistics)
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:44.602997+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: sampling-statistics-20260505-0
summary:
Accidental sampling (sometimes known as grab, convenience, or opportunity sampling) is a type of nonprobability sampling which involves the sample being drawn from that part of the population which is close to hand. That is, a population is selected because it is readily available and convenient. It may be through meeting the person or including a person in the sample when one meets them or chosen by finding them through technological means such as the internet or through phone. The researcher using such a sample cannot scientifically make generalizations about the total population from this sample because it would not be representative enough. For example, if the interviewer were to conduct such a survey at a shopping center early in the morning on a given day, the people that they could interview would be limited to those given there at that given time, which would not represent the views of other members of society in such an area, if the survey were to be conducted at different times of day and several times per week. This type of sampling is most useful for pilot testing. Several important considerations for researchers using convenience samples include: Are there controls within the research


id: sampling-statistics-20260505-6
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampling_(statistics)-6.md
category: reference
title: Sampling (statistics)
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampling_(statistics)
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:44.602997+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: sampling-statistics-20260505-0
summary:
Sampling schemes may be without replacement ('WOR' – no element can be selected more than once in the same sample) or with replacement ('WR' – an element may appear multiple times in the one sample). For example, if we catch fish, measure them, and immediately return them to the water before continuing with the sample, this is a WR design, because we might end up catching and measuring the same fish more than once. However, if we do not return the fish to the water or tag and release each fish after catching it, this becomes a WOR design. == Sample size determination == Formulas, tables, and power function charts are well known approaches to determine sample size. Steps for using sample size tables: Postulate the effect size of interest, α, and β. Check sample size table Select the table corresponding to the selected α Locate the row corresponding to the desired power Locate the column corresponding to the estimated effect size. The intersection of the column and row is the minimum sample size required. == Sampling and data collection == Good data collection involves: Following the defined sampling process Keeping the data in time order Noting comments and other


id: sampling-statistics-20260505-7
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampling_(statistics)-7.md
category: reference
title: Sampling (statistics)
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampling_(statistics)
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:44.602997+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: sampling-statistics-20260505-0
summary:
Robert Groves, et alia. Survey methodology (2010 2nd ed. [2004]) ISBN 0-471-48348-6. The other books focus on the statistical theory of survey sampling and require some knowledge of basic statistics, as discussed in the following textbooks: David S. Moore and George P. McCabe (February 2005). "Introduction to the practice of statistics" (5th edition). W.H. Freeman & Company. ISBN 0-7167-6282-X. Freedman, David; Pisani, Robert; Purves, Roger (2007). Statistics (4th ed.). New York: Norton. ISBN 978-0-393-92972-0. The elementary book by Scheaffer et alia uses quadratic equations from high-school algebra: Scheaffer, Richard L., William Mendenhal and R. Lyman Ott. Elementary survey sampling, Fifth Edition. Belmont: Duxbury Press, 1996. More mathematical statistics is required for Lohr, for Särndal et alia, and for Cochran: Cochran, William G. (1977). Sampling techniques (Third ed.). Wiley. ISBN 978-0-471-16240-7. Lohr, Sharon L. (1999). Sampling: Design and analysis. Duxbury. ISBN 978-0-534-35361-2. Särndal, Carl-Erik; Swensson, Bengt; Wretman, Jan (1992). Model assisted survey sampling. Springer-Verlag. ISBN 978-0-387-40620-6. The historically important books by Deming and Kish remain valuable for insights for social scientists (particularly about the U.S. census and the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan): Deming, W. Edwards (1966). Some Theory of Sampling. Dover Publications. ISBN 978-0-486-64684-8. OCLC 166526.


id: science-of-team-science-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_of_team_science-0.md
category: reference
title: Science of team science
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_of_team_science
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:45.890352+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: science-of-team-science-20260505-0
summary:
Science of Team Science (SciTS) is a field of methodology that focuses on understanding and improving cross-disciplinary collaboration in research. The field encompasses conceptual and methodological strategies to understand how teams of scientific researchers can be organized to work more effectively. SciTS initiatives involve understanding and managing factors that affect collaborative science and assessing its outcomes. == History == Since the 1990s, interest and large-scale funding for team-based research initiatives has increased, driven by efforts to tackle complex problems through cross-disciplinary collaboration. Some argue that this trend reflects the growing recognition that addressing multifaceted challenges, such as climate change and public health issues, benefit from partnerships among scientists and practitioners from diverse fields. One SciTS literature review highlighted team science as essential to interprofessional collaborative research. The report called for its integration into health professions education and clinical practice at the University of Minnesota's National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education. The interdisciplinary nature of SciTS initially emerged from concerns raised by funding agencies, which sought to assess the performance of team science, understand its added value, evaluate the return on investment in large research initiatives, and inform science policy. The term "science of team science" was first introduced in


id: science-on-the-verge-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_on_the_Verge-0.md
category: reference
title: Science on the Verge
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_on_the_Verge
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:47.091304+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: science-on-the-verge-20260505-0
summary:
Science on the verge is a book written in 2016 by group of eight scholars working in the tradition of Post-normal science. The book analyzes the main features and possible causes of the present science's crisis. == Content == Science on the verge, written by Alice Benessia, Silvio Funtowicz, Mario Giampietro, Ângela Guimarães Pereira, Jerome Ravetz, Andrea Saltelli, Roger Strand, and Jeroen P. van der Sluijs, with a preface by Dan Sarewitz, follows different threads of the present science's crisis (lost reproducibility, collapsing peer review, perverse metrics, evidence based policy's dysfunctions, techno-science and its hubris, science as metaphysics ...) and presents a first systematic analysis of the main causes of the present predicaments. Chapter 1. The chapter entitled 'Who will solve the crisis in science?' tackles the following questions: Is there a crisis? What is being done 'from within'? Is this sufficient? What are the diagnoses for the crisis' root causes, and what are the solutions 'from without'? Chapter 2. This is chapter entitled 'The fallacy of evidence based policy' tackles: Quantification as hypocognition; Socially constructed ignorance & uncomfortable knowledge; Ancien régime syndrome; Quantitative story telling. Chapter 3. This is chapter entitled 'Never late, never lost, never unprepared' treats: Trajectories


id: scientific-collection-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_collection-0.md
category: reference
title: Scientific collection
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_collection
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:48.514057+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-collection-20260505-0
summary:
A scientific collection is a collection of items that are preserved, catalogued, and managed for the purpose of scientific study. Scientific collections dealing specifically with organisms plants, fungi, animals, insects and their remains, may also be called natural history collections or biological collections. The latter may contain either living stocks or preserved repositories of biodiversity specimens and materials. Scientific collections hold a tangible portion of the cumulative evidence base in such fields as biology (especially taxonomy and evolutionary biology), geology, and archaeology. They may be stored and managed by governments, educational institutions (e.g. colleges and universities), private organizations (including museums), or individuals. Prominent uses of scientific collections include the systematic description and identification of biological species, the study and prediction of long-term historical trends (including impacts of climate change), the dating and analysis of historical objects (e.g. via wood samples and ice cores with annual rings), and the maintenance of teaching resources. == Indexing == The indexing of the collections was historically made by directories, catalogs, index cards, today supplemented by or replaced by databases with information such as e.g. scientific description, including picture, name, location, find circumstances, fund age, scientific analysis, phylogenetic relationships, DNA and isotope analysis results, analysis


id: scientific-collection-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_collection-1.md
category: reference
title: Scientific collection
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_collection
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:48.514057+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-collection-20260505-0
summary:
in France: Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris contains 9,500,000 specimens; Université Montpellier contains 4,000,000 specimens; Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 contains 4,000,000 specimens in Russia: Komarov Botanical Institute in St. Petersburg contains 7,160,000 specimens, in Great Britain: Royal Botanic Gardens Kew contains 7,000,000 specimens; British Museum of Natural History contains 80,000,000 specimens; Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh contains 2,000,000 specimens; University of Cambridge contains 1,000,000 specimens; University of Manchester contains 1,000,000 specimens; in Switzerland: Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la Ville de Genève contains 6,000,000 specimens; Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich contains 1,500,000 specimens, in Austria: Naturhistorisches Museum Wien contains 5,000,000 specimens; Universität Wien contains 1,400,000 specimens, in Sweden: Swedish Museum of Natural History (Naturhistoriska riksmuseet) contains 4,400,000 specimens; Uppsala University contains 3,000,000 specimens, Botanical Museum, Lund contains 2,500,000 specimens, University of Gothenburg contains 1,600,000 specimens, in Netherlands: National Herbarium of the Netherlands (Nationaal Herbarium Nederland) contains 4,000,000 specimens in Italy: Museo di Storia Naturale dell'Università, Florence contains 3,650,000 specimens; Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza, Rome contains 1,120,000 specimens; Università degli Studi di Torino contains 1,000,000 specimens, in Belgium: National Botanic Garden of Belgium contains 3,500,000 specimens, in Germany: Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin-Dahlem, Zentraleinrichtung der Freien Universität Berlin


id: scientific-control-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_control-0.md
category: reference
title: Scientific control
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_control
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:49.805409+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-control-20260505-0
summary:
A scientific control is an element of an experiment or observation designed to minimize the influence of variables other than the independent variable under investigation, thereby reducing the risk of confounding. The use of controls increases the reliability and validity of results by providing a baseline for comparison between experimental measurements and control measurements. In many designs, the control group does not receive the experimental treatment, allowing researchers to isolate the effect of the independent variable. Scientific controls are a fundamental part of the scientific method, particularly in fields such as biology, chemistry, medicine, and psychology, where complex systems are subject to multiple interacting variables. == Controlled experiments == Controls eliminate alternate explanations of experimental results, especially experimental errors and experimenter bias. Many controls are specific to the type of experiment being performed, as in the molecular markers used in SDS-PAGE experiments, and may simply have the purpose of ensuring that the equipment is working properly. The selection and use of proper controls to ensure that experimental results are valid (for example, absence of confounding variables) can be very difficult. Control measurements may also be used for other purposes: for example, a measurement of a microphone's background noise in the


id: scientific-control-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_control-1.md
category: reference
title: Scientific control
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_control
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:49.805409+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-control-20260505-0
summary:
Negative controls are variables that meant to help when the study design is suspected to be invalid because of unmeasured confounders that are correlated with both the treatment and the outcome. Where there are only two possible outcomes, e.g. positive or negative, if the treatment group and the negative control (non-treatment group) both produce a negative result, it can be inferred that the treatment had no effect. If the treatment group and the negative control both produce a positive result, it can be inferred that a confounding variable is involved in the phenomenon under study, and the positive results are not solely due to the treatment. In other examples, outcomes might be measured as lengths, times, percentages, and so forth. In the drug testing example, we could measure the percentage of patients cured. In this case, the treatment is inferred to have no effect when the treatment group and the negative control produce the same results. Some improvement is expected in the placebo group due to the placebo effect, and this result sets the baseline upon which the treatment must improve upon. Even if the treatment group shows improvement, it needs to be compared to the placebo group. If the


id: scientific-control-20260505-2
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_control-2.md
category: reference
title: Scientific control
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_control
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:49.805409+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-control-20260505-0
summary:
Y ~ ⊥ A | U , X {\displaystyle {\tilde {Y}}\perp A|\;U,X} : There is no causal effect of A {\displaystyle A} on Y ~ {\displaystyle {\tilde {Y}}} given X {\displaystyle X} and U {\displaystyle U} . The NCO is independent of the treatment given X {\displaystyle X} and U {\displaystyle U} . U-Comparability: Y ~ ⧸ ⊥ U | X {\displaystyle {\tilde {Y}}\not {\perp }U|\;X} The unmeasured confounders U {\displaystyle U} of the association between A {\displaystyle A} and Y {\displaystyle Y} are the same for the association between A {\displaystyle A} and Y ~ {\displaystyle {\tilde {Y}}} . Given assumption 1 - 4, a non-null association between A {\displaystyle A} and Y ~ {\displaystyle {\tilde {Y}}} , can be explained by U {\displaystyle U} , and not by another mechanism. A possible violation of Latent Exchangeability will be when only the people that are influenced by a medicine will take it, even if both X {\displaystyle X} and U {\displaystyle U} are the same. For example, we would expect that given age and medical history ( X {\displaystyle X} ), general health awareness ( U {\displaystyle U} ), the intake of A {\displaystyle A} influenza vaccine will be


id: scientific-control-20260505-3
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_control-3.md
category: reference
title: Scientific control
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_control
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:49.805409+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-control-20260505-0
summary:
Blinding is the practice of withholding information that may bias an experiment. For example, participants may not know who received an active treatment and who received a placebo. If this information were to become available to trial participants, patients could receive a larger placebo effect, researchers could influence the experiment to meet their expectations (the observer effect), and evaluators could be subject to confirmation bias. A blind can be imposed on any participant of an experiment, including subjects, researchers, technicians, data analysts, and evaluators. In some cases, sham surgery may be necessary to achieve blinding. During the course of an experiment, a participant becomes unblinded if they deduce or otherwise obtain information that has been masked to them. Unblinding that occurs before the conclusion of a study is a source of experimental error, as the bias that was eliminated by blinding is re-introduced. Unblinding is common in blind experiments and must be measured and reported. Meta-research has revealed high levels of unblinding in pharmacological trials. In particular, antidepressant trials are poorly blinded. Reporting guidelines recommend that all studies assess and report unblinding. In practice, very few studies assess unblinding. Blinding is an important tool of the scientific method, and is


id: scientific-dissent-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_dissent-0.md
category: reference
title: Scientific dissent
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_dissent
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:51.054740+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-dissent-20260505-0
summary:
Scientific dissent is dissent from scientific consensus. Disagreements can be useful for finding problems in underlying assumptions, methodologies, and reasoning, as well as for generating and testing new ways of tackling the unknown. In modern times, with the increased role of science on the society and the politicization of science, a new aspect gained prominence: effects of scientific dissent on public policies. Scientific dissent is distinct from denialism, which is a deliberate rejection of scientific consensus usually for commercial or ideological reasons. == Dissent as part of scientific inquiry == Miriam Solomon in her book Social Empiricism argues that scientific dissent is the normal state of scientific inquiry, rather than a conflict that needs resolution. She argues that disagreements between individual scientists about the proper direction of research are not cause for concern, because scientific rationality must be assessed at the level of the scientific community. As long as all theories being pursued yield some unique empirical successes, Solomon argues that their pursuit is worthwhile and consistent with the common view that science aims at truth. In Solomon's view, competing scientific theories can even be inconsistent with one another while each containing some degree of truth. Empirical evidence may not


id: scientific-enterprise-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_enterprise-0.md
category: reference
title: Scientific enterprise
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_enterprise
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:52.291223+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-enterprise-20260505-0
summary:
A scientific enterprise is a science-based project developed by, or in cooperation with, a private entrepreneur. For example, in the Age of Exploration, leaders like Henry the Navigator founded schools of navigation, from which stemmed voyages of exploration. == Examples of enterprising scientific organizations == Each organization listed below has the ability to conduct scientific research on an extended basis, involving multiple researchers over an extended time. Generally, the research is funded not only for the science itself, but for some application which shows promise for the enterprise. But the researchers, if left to their own choices, will tend to follow their research interest, which is essential for the long-term health of their chosen field. Note that a successful scientific enterprise is not equivalent to a successful high-tech enterprise or to a successful business enterprise, but that they form an ecology, a food chain. The Max Planck Institute, which supports fundamental research in the natural, life and social sciences, the arts and humanities The RAND Corporation, founded as a research corporation. Did groundbreaking work in the field of artificial intelligence The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, founded by Theodore von Kármán Bell Laboratories, renowned for the quality of its scientific work and


id: scientific-evidence-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_evidence-0.md
category: reference
title: Scientific evidence
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_evidence
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:53.505176+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-evidence-20260505-0
summary:
Scientific evidence is evidence that serves to either support or counter a scientific theory or hypothesis, although scientists also use evidence in other ways, such as when applying theories to practical problems. Such evidence is expected to be empirical evidence and interpretable in accordance with the scientific method. Standards for scientific evidence vary according to the field of inquiry, but the strength of scientific evidence is generally based on the results of statistical analysis and the strength of scientific controls. == Principles of inference == A person's assumptions or beliefs about the relationship between observations and a hypothesis will affect whether that person takes the observations as evidence. These assumptions or beliefs will also affect how a person utilizes the observations as evidence. For example, the Earth's apparent lack of motion may be taken as evidence for a geocentric cosmology. However, after sufficient evidence is presented for heliocentric cosmology and the apparent lack of motion is explained, the initial observation is strongly discounted as evidence. When rational observers have different background beliefs, they may draw different conclusions from the same scientific evidence. For example, Priestley, working with phlogiston theory, explained his observations about the decomposition of mercuric oxide using phlogiston.


id: scientific-evidence-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_evidence-1.md
category: reference
title: Scientific evidence
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_evidence
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:53.505176+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-evidence-20260505-0
summary:
== Philosophical versus scientific views == In the 20th century, many philosophers investigated the logical relationship between evidence statements and hypotheses, whereas scientists tended to focus on how the data used for statistical inference are generated. But according to philosopher Deborah Mayo, by the end of the 20th century philosophers had come to understand that "there are key features of scientific practice that are overlooked or misdescribed by all such logical accounts of evidence, whether hypothetico-deductive, Bayesian, or instantiationist". There were a variety of 20th-century philosophical approaches to decide whether an observation may be considered evidence; many of these focused on the relationship between the evidence and the hypothesis. In the 1950s, Rudolf Carnap recommended distinguishing such approaches into three categories: classificatory (whether the evidence confirms the hypothesis), comparative (whether the evidence supports a first hypothesis more than an alternative hypothesis) or quantitative (the degree to which the evidence supports a hypothesis). A 1983 anthology edited by Peter Achinstein provided a concise presentation by prominent philosophers on scientific evidence, including Carl Hempel (on the logic of confirmation), R. B. Braithwaite (on the structure of a scientific system), Norwood Russell Hanson (on the logic of discovery), Nelson Goodman (of grue fame,


id: scientific-formalism-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_formalism-0.md
category: reference
title: Scientific formalism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_formalism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:54.614525+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-formalism-20260505-0
summary:
Scientific formalism is a family of approaches to the presentation of science. It is viewed as an important part of the scientific method, especially in the physical sciences. == Levels of formalism == There are multiple levels of scientific formalism possible. At the lowest level, scientific formalism deals with the symbolic manner in which the information is presented. To achieve formalism in a scientific theory at this level, one starts with a well defined set of axioms, and from this follows a formal system. However, at a higher level, scientific formalism also involves consideration of the axioms themselves. These can be viewed as questions of ontology. For example, one can, at the lower level of formalism, define a property called 'existence'. However, at the higher level, the question of whether an electron exists in the same sense that a bacterium exists still needs to be resolved. Some actual formal theories on facts have been proposed. == In modern physics == The scientific climate of the twentieth century revived these questions. From about the time of Isaac Newton to that of James Clerk Maxwell they had been dormant, in the sense that the physical sciences could rely on the status of


id: scientific-imperialism-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_imperialism-0.md
category: reference
title: Scientific imperialism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_imperialism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:55.814082+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-imperialism-20260505-0
summary:
Scientific imperialism is a term that appears to have been coined by Ellis T. Powell when addressing the Commonwealth Club of Canada on 8 September 1920. He defined imperialism as "the sense of arbitrary and capricious domination over the bodies and souls of men," he used the term "scientific imperialism" to mean "the subjection of all the developed and undeveloped powers of the earth to the mind of man." In modern usage, however, scientific imperialism refers to situations in which critics perceive science to act imperiously. Philosopher of science John Dupré described it (in his 2001 book Human Nature and the Limits of Science, p. 74) as "the tendency to push a good scientific idea far beyond the domain in which it was originally introduced, and often far beyond the domain in which it can provide much illumination." He wrote that "devotees of these approaches are inclined to claim that they are in possession not just of one useful perspective on human behavior, but of the key that will open doors to the understanding of ever wider areas of human behavior." Scientific imperialism has also been charged against "those who believe that the study of politics can and should be


id: scientific-integrity-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_integrity-0.md
category: reference
title: Scientific integrity
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_integrity
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:57.218427+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-integrity-20260505-0
summary:
Research integrity or scientific integrity is an aspect of research ethics that deals with best practice or rules of professional practice of scientists. First introduced in the 19th century by Charles Babbage, the concept of research integrity came to the fore in the late 1970s. A series of publicized scandals in the United States led to heightened debate on the ethical norms of sciences and the limitations of the self-regulation processes implemented by scientific communities and institutions. Formalized definitions of scientific misconduct, and codes of conduct, became the main policy response after 1990. In the 21st century, codes of conduct or ethics codes for research integrity are widespread. Along with codes of conduct at institutional and national levels, major international texts include the European Charter for Researchers (2005), the Singapore Statement on Research Integrity (2010), the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (2011 & 2017), and the Hong Kong Principles for assessing researchers (2020). Scientific literature on research integrity falls mostly into two categories: first, mapping of the definitions and categories, especially in regard to scientific misconduct, and second, empirical surveys of the attitudes and practices of scientists. Following the development of codes of conduct, taxonomies of non-ethical uses


id: scientific-integrity-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_integrity-1.md
category: reference
title: Scientific integrity
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_integrity
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:57.218427+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-integrity-20260505-0
summary:
=== Emergence of the issue === Before the 1970s, ethical issues were largely focused on the conduct of medical experiments, especially in regard to tests on humans. In 1803, the "code" of Thomas Percival created a moral foundation for experimental treatments that "was built upon fairly regularly" throughout the next two centuries, notably by Walter Reed in 1898 and by the Berlin code in 1900. After the Second World War, the Nazi human experimentations motivated the development of international, widely acknowledged codes of research ethics, such as the Nuremberg code (1947) and the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki. According to Kenneth Pimple, Charles Babbage was the first author to set aside the specific issue of scientific integrity. In the Reflections on the Decline of Science in England, and on Some of its Causes, first published in 1830, Babbage identified four classes of scientific frauds, from outright forgery to varied degrees of arrangements and cooking of the data or the methods. Research integrity became a major debated topic in biological sciences after 1970, due to a combination of factors: the development of advanced data analysis methods, the growing commercial relevancy of fundamental research, and the increased focus of federal funding


id: scientific-integrity-20260505-2
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_integrity-2.md
category: reference
title: Scientific integrity
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_integrity
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:57.218427+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-integrity-20260505-0
summary:
== Taxonomy and classification == In codes of conduct, the definition of research integrity is usually negative: the collection of norms aims to single out different forms of unethical research and scientific misconduct with varying degrees of gravity. The multiplication of codes of conduct has also corresponded with an expansion of scope. While the initial debate was focused on "three deadly sins of scientific and scholarly research: fabrication, falsification and plagiarism", attention has later shifted "to the lesser breaches of research integrity". In 1830, Charles Babbage introduced the first taxonomy of scientific frauds that already encover some forms of questionable research practices : hoaxing (a voluntary fraud "far from justifiable"), forging ("whereas the forger is one who, wishing to acquire a reputation for science, records observations which he has never made"), trimming (which "consists in clipping off little bits here and there from those observations which differ most in excess from the mean" and cooking. Cooking is the main focus of Babbage as an "art of various forms, the object of which is to give to ordinary observations the appearance and character of those of the highest degree of accuracy". It falls done under several sub-cases such as data selection


id: scientific-integrity-20260505-3
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_integrity-3.md
category: reference
title: Scientific integrity
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_integrity
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:57.218427+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-integrity-20260505-0
summary:
=== Implementation and assessment of codes of conduct === Several case studies and retrospective analyses have been devoted to the reception of codes of conduct in scientific communities. They frequently highlight a discrepancy between the theoretical norms and the "lived morality of researchers". In 2004, Caroline Whitbeck underlined that the enforcement of a few formal rules has overall failed to answer to a structural "erosion or neglect" of scientific trust. In 2009, Schuurbiers, Osseweijer and Kinderler led a series of interviews in the aftermath of the Dutch code of conduct on research integrity, introduced in 2005. Overall, most respondents were unaware of the code and complementary ethical recommendations. While the principles "were seen to reflect the norms and values within science rather well", they seemed to be isolated from the actual work practices, which "may lead to morally complex situations". Respondents were also critical of the underlying individualist philosophy of the code, which shifted the entire blame to individual researchers without taking into account institutional or community-wide issues. In 2015, a survey of "64 faculty members at a large southwestern university" in the United States "yielded similar results": many of the respondents were not aware of the existing ethical guidelines,


id: scientific-integrity-20260505-4
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_integrity-4.md
category: reference
title: Scientific integrity
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_integrity
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:57.218427+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-integrity-20260505-0
summary:
In 2018, Heidi Laine attempted to establish a nearly-exhaustive list of "ethical principles associated with open science": This categorization has to contend with the diversity of approaches and values associated with the open science movement and their ongoing evolutions, as the "term will likely remain as fluid as any other attempt to coin a complex system of practices, values and ideologies in one term". Laine identified a significant variation in the way open science principles have been embedded in four major codes of conduct and statements on research integrity: the Singapore Statement on Research Integrity (2010), the Montreal Statement on Research Integrity in Cross-Boundary Research Collaborations (2013), the Responsible Conduct of Research and Procedures for Handling Allegations of Misconduct in Finland (2012) and the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (2017). Access to research publications is recommended in all four codes. Integrations of data sharing and reproducibility practices are less obvious, and vary from a tacit approval to detailed support, in the case of the later European Code of Conduct: "The European code pays data management almost an equal amount of attention as publishing and is also in this sense the most advanced of the four CoCs." Yet, important


id: scientific-integrity-20260505-5
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_integrity-5.md
category: reference
title: Scientific integrity
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_integrity
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:57.218427+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-integrity-20260505-0
summary:
In a statement made by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), they adopted the definition of Scientific Integrity as stated below. This policy is currently being reviewed and will be officially published in early 2024." Scientific integrity is the adherence to professional practices, ethical behavior, and the principles of honesty and objectivity when conducting, managing, using the results of, and communicating about science and scientific activities. Inclusivity, transparency, and protection from inappropriate influence are hallmarks of scientific integrity."-HHS To promote a culture of scientific integrity at HHS, they have outlined their policy in seven specific areas: Protecting Scientific Processes Ensuring the Free Flow of Scientific Information Supporting Policymaking Processes Ensuring Accountability Protecting Scientists Professional Development for Government Scientists Federal Advisory Committees As a result of these areas, open science practices can be promoted to protect against bias, plagiarism, and data fabrication, falsification as well as inappropriate influencing, political interference, and censorship. ===== National Institute of Health ===== The National Institute of Health (NIH) is a branch of the HHS. They act as the nation's medical research agency which focuses on making important discoveries that improve health and save lives. The mission of NIH is to provide a


id: scientific-integrity-20260505-6
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_integrity-6.md
category: reference
title: Scientific integrity
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_integrity
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:57.218427+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-integrity-20260505-0
summary:
=== Journal articles === Woolf, Patricia K. (1988). "Deception in Scientific Research". Jurimetrics. 29 (1): 67–95. ISSN 0897-1277. JSTOR 29762108. PMID 11654908. Partha, Dasgupta; David, Paul A. (1994-09-01). "Toward a new economics of science". Research Policy. Special Issue in Honor of Nathan Rosenberg. 23 (5): 487–521. doi:10.1016/0048-7333(94)01002-1. ISSN 0048-7333. Pimple, Kenneth D. (2002-06-01). "Six domains of research ethics". Science and Engineering Ethics. 8 (2): 191–205. doi:10.1007/s11948-002-0018-1. ISSN 1471-5546. PMID 12092490. S2CID 25084326. Whitbeck, Caroline (2004). "Trust and the Future of Research". Physics Today. 57 (11): 48–53. Bibcode:2004PhT....57k..48W. doi:10.1063/1.1839377. ISSN 0031-9228. Retrieved 2022-02-12. Ioannidis, John P. A. (2005). "Why Most Published Research Findings Are False". PLOS Medicine. 2 (8): –124. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0020124. ISSN 1549-1676. PMC 1182327. PMID 16060722. Rappert, Brian (2007). "Codes of conduct and biological weapons: an in-process assessment". Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice, and Science. 5 (2): 145–154. doi:10.1089/bsp.2007.0003. hdl:10036/32132. ISSN 1538-7135. PMID 17608600. David, Paul A. (2008-10-24). "The Historical Origins of 'Open Science': An Essay on Patronage, Reputation and Common Agency Contracting in the Scientific Revolution". Capitalism and Society. 3 (2). doi:10.2202/1932-0213.1040. ISSN 1932-0213. S2CID 41478207. Retrieved 2021-11-11. Schuurbiers, Daan; Osseweijer, Patricia; Kinderlerer, Julian (2009). "Implementing the Netherlands code of conduct for scientific practice-a case study". Science and


id: scientific-law-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_law-0.md
category: reference
title: Scientific law
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_law
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:58.458703+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-law-20260505-0
summary:
Scientific laws or laws of science are statements, based on repeated experiments or observations, that describe or predict a range of natural phenomena. The term law has diverse usage in many cases (approximate, accurate, broad, or narrow) across all fields of natural science (physics, chemistry, astronomy, geoscience, biology). Laws are developed from data and can be further developed through mathematics; in all cases they are directly or indirectly based on empirical evidence. It is generally understood that they implicitly reflect, though they do not explicitly assert, causal relationships fundamental to reality, and are discovered rather than invented. Scientific laws summarize the results of experiments or observations, usually within a certain range of application. In general, the accuracy of a law does not change when a new theory of the relevant phenomenon is worked out, but rather the scope of the law's application, since the mathematics or statement representing the law does not change. As with other kinds of scientific knowledge, scientific laws do not express absolute certainty, as mathematical laws do. A scientific law may be contradicted, restricted, or extended by future observations. A law can often be formulated as one or several statements or equations, so that it can


id: scientific-law-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_law-1.md
category: reference
title: Scientific law
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_law
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:58.458703+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-law-20260505-0
summary:
== Properties == Scientific laws are typically conclusions based on repeated scientific experiments and observations over many years and which have become accepted universally within the scientific community. A scientific law is "inferred from particular facts, applicable to a defined group or class of phenomena, and expressible by the statement that a particular phenomenon always occurs if certain conditions be present". The production of a summary description of our environment in the form of such laws is a fundamental aim of science. Several general properties of scientific laws, particularly when referring to laws in physics, have been identified. Scientific laws are: True, at least within their regime of validity. By definition, there have never been repeatable contradicting observations. Universal. They appear to apply everywhere in the universe. Simple. They are typically expressed in terms of a single mathematical equation. Absolute. Nothing in the universe appears to affect them. Stable. Unchanged since first discovered (although they may have been shown to be approximations of more accurate laws), All-encompassing. Everything in the universe apparently must comply with them (according to observations). Generally conservative of quantity. Often expressions of existing homogeneities (symmetries) of space and time. Typically theoretically reversible in time (if non-quantum),


id: scientific-law-20260505-2
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_law-2.md
category: reference
title: Scientific law
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_law
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:58.458703+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-law-20260505-0
summary:
where ρ is some quantity per unit volume, J is the flux of that quantity (change in quantity per unit time per unit area). Intuitively, the divergence (denoted ∇⋅) of a vector field is a measure of flux diverging radially outwards from a point, so the negative is the amount piling up at a point; hence the rate of change of density in a region of space must be the amount of flux leaving or collecting in some region (see the main article for details). In the table below, the fluxes flows for various physical quantities in transport, and their associated continuity equations, are collected for comparison. More general equations are the convection–diffusion equation and Boltzmann transport equation, which have their roots in the continuity equation. === Laws of classical mechanics === ==== Principle of least action ==== Classical mechanics, including Newton's laws, Lagrange's equations, Hamilton's equations, etc., can be derived from the following principle: δ S = δ ∫ t 1 t 2 L ( q , q ˙ , t ) d t = 0 {\displaystyle \delta {\mathcal {S}}=\delta \int _{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}L(\mathbf {q} ,\mathbf {\dot {q}} ,t)\,dt=0} where S {\displaystyle {\mathcal {S}}} is the action; the integral of the


id: scientific-law-20260505-3
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_law-3.md
category: reference
title: Scientific law
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_law
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:58.458703+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-law-20260505-0
summary:
in which the (more famous) mass–energy equivalence E = mc2 is a special case. General relativity: General relativity is governed by the Einstein field equations, which describe the curvature of space-time due to mass-energy equivalent to the gravitational field. Solving the equation for the geometry of space warped due to the mass distribution gives the metric tensor. Using the geodesic equation, the motion of masses falling along the geodesics can be calculated. Gravitoelectromagnetism: In a relatively flat spacetime due to weak gravitational fields, gravitational analogues of Maxwell's equations can be found; the GEM equations, to describe an analogous gravitomagnetic field. They are well established by the theory, and experimental tests form ongoing research. ==== Classical laws ==== Kepler's laws, though originally discovered from planetary observations (also due to Tycho Brahe), are true for any central forces. === Thermodynamics === Newton's law of cooling Fourier's law Ideal gas law, combines a number of separately developed gas laws; Boyle's law Charles's law Gay-Lussac's law Avogadro's law, into one now improved by other equations of state Dalton's law (of partial pressures) Boltzmann equation Carnot's theorem Kopp's law === Electromagnetism === Maxwell's equations give the time-evolution of the electric and magnetic fields due to


id: scientific-law-20260505-4
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_law-4.md
category: reference
title: Scientific law
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_law
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:58.458703+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-law-20260505-0
summary:
In equilibrium, molecules exist in mixture defined by the transformations possible on the timescale of the equilibrium, and are in a ratio defined by the intrinsic energy of the molecules—the lower the intrinsic energy, the more abundant the molecule. Le Chatelier's principle states that the system opposes changes in conditions from equilibrium states, i.e. there is an opposition to change the state of an equilibrium reaction. Transforming one structure to another requires the input of energy to cross an energy barrier; this can come from the intrinsic energy of the molecules themselves, or from an external source which will generally accelerate transformations. The higher the energy barrier, the slower the transformation occurs. There is a hypothetical intermediate, or transition structure, that corresponds to the structure at the top of the energy barrier. The Hammond–Leffler postulate states that this structure looks most similar to the product or starting material which has intrinsic energy closest to that of the energy barrier. Stabilizing this hypothetical intermediate through chemical interaction is one way to achieve catalysis. All chemical processes are reversible (law of microscopic reversibility) although some processes have such an energy bias, they are essentially irreversible. The reaction rate has the mathematical parameter


id: scientific-law-20260505-5
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_law-5.md
category: reference
title: Scientific law
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_law
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:58.458703+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-law-20260505-0
summary:
In Europe, systematic theorizing about nature (physis) began with the early Greek philosophers and scientists and continued into the Hellenistic and Roman imperial periods, during which times the intellectual influence of Roman law increasingly became paramount.The formula "law of nature" first appears as "a live metaphor" favored by Latin poets Lucretius, Virgil, Ovid, Manilius, in time gaining a firm theoretical presence in the prose treatises of Seneca and Pliny. Why this Roman origin? According to [historian and classicist Daryn] Lehoux's persuasive narrative, the idea was made possible by the pivotal role of codified law and forensic argument in Roman life and culture. For the Romans ... the place par excellence where ethics, law, nature, religion and politics overlap is the law court. When we read Seneca's Natural Questions, and watch again and again just how he applies standards of evidence, witness evaluation, argument and proof, we can recognize that we are reading one of the great Roman rhetoricians of the age, thoroughly immersed in forensic method. And not Seneca alone. Legal models of scientific judgment turn up all over the place, and for example prove equally integral to Ptolemy's approach to verification, where the mind is assigned the role of


id: scientific-priority-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_priority-0.md
category: reference
title: Scientific priority
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_priority
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:28:59.697468+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-priority-20260505-0
summary:
In science, priority is the credit given to the individual or group of individuals who first made the discovery or proposed the theory. Fame and honours usually go to the first person or group to publish a new finding, even if several researchers arrived at the same conclusion independently and at the same time. Thus, between two or more independent discoverers, the first to publish is the legitimate winner. Hence, the tradition is often referred to as the priority rule, the procedure of which can be summed up in the phrase "publish or perish", because there are generally no prizes for second place in science academia. In a way, the race to be first inspires risk-taking that can lead to scientific breakthroughs which is beneficial to the society (such as discovery of malaria transmission, DNA, HIV, etc.). On the other hand, it can create unhealthy competition and incentives to publish low-quality findings (e.g., quantity over quality or committing scientific misconduct), which can lead to an unreliable published literature and harm scientific progress. == Priority disputes == Priority becomes a difficult issue usually in the context of priority disputes, where the priority for a given theory, understanding, or discovery comes into


id: scientific-protocol-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_protocol-0.md
category: reference
title: Scientific protocol
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_protocol
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:00.933176+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-protocol-20260505-0
summary:
In natural and social science research, a protocol is most commonly a predefined procedural method in the design and implementation of an experiment. Protocols are written whenever it is desirable to standardize a laboratory method to ensure successful replication of results by others in the same laboratory or by other laboratories. Additionally, and by extension, protocols have the advantage of facilitating the assessment of experimental results through peer review. In addition to detailed procedures, equipment, and instruments, protocols will also contain study objectives, reasoning for experimental design, reasoning for chosen sample sizes, safety precautions, and how results were calculated and reported, including statistical analysis and any rules for predefining and documenting excluded data to avoid bias. Similarly, a protocol may refer to the procedural methods of health organizations, commercial laboratories, manufacturing plants, etc. to ensure their activities (e.g., blood testing at a hospital, testing of certified reference materials at a calibration laboratory, and manufacturing of transmission gears at a facility) are consistent to a specific standard, encouraging safe use and accurate results. Finally, in the field of social science, a protocol may also refer to a "descriptive record" of observed events or a "sequence of behavior" of one or more


id: scientific-study-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_study-0.md
category: reference
title: Scientific study
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_study
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:02.158213+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-study-20260505-0
summary:
Scientific study is a creative action to increase knowledge by systematically collecting, interpreting, and evaluating data. According to the hypothetico-deductive paradigm, it should encompass: The contextualization of the problem; A hypothesis for explaining the problem considering existing theoretical approaches; A verification of the hypotheses by an experiment; Analysis of the test outcome. Scientific study involves scientific theory, scientific method, scientific models, experiments and physical situations. It may refer to: Scientific method, a body of techniques for investigating phenomena, based on empirical or measurable evidence that is subject to the principles of logic and reasoning Observational study, draws inferences about the possible effect of a treatment on subjects, where the assignment of subjects into a treated group versus a control group is outside the control of the investigator Randomized controlled trial, a type of scientific experiment, often in the medical field, where the people being studied are randomly allocated one of the different treatments Science, a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Scientific learning includes testing of theories and provide a basis for scientific knowledge. == History == Aristotle is believed to be the first to begin the study


id: scientific-temper-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_temper-0.md
category: reference
title: Scientific temper
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_temper
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:03.358226+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-temper-20260505-0
summary:
The term scientific temper is broadly defined as "a modest open-minded temper—develop new light, new knowledge, new experiments, even when their results are unfavourable to preconceived opinions and long-cherished theories." It is a way of life (defined in this context as an individual and social process of thinking and acting) which uses the scientific method and which may, consequently, include questioning, observing physical reality, testing, hypothesizing, analyzing, and communicating (not necessarily in that order). Discussion, argument and analysis are vital parts of scientific temper. It aims to inculcate the values of scientific thinking, appreciate scientific development, and drive away superstition, religious bigotry, and all forms of pseudo-science. == Development of Scientific Temperament in World == Scientific temper as a notion existed for a long time, and the origin of the term is unknown. The exact terminology became frequently used in the mid-19th century. A Jesuit scholar Thomas Aloysius Hughes gave a short definition in 1893, saying, "A scientific temper... means a scrupulous and rigid exactness... [which] is the outcome of exact science." In his Conway Memorial Lecture in 1922, Bertrand Russell used the example of Albert Einstein to explain the meaning of scientific temper:We have had in recent years a


id: scientific-theory-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_theory-0.md
category: reference
title: Scientific theory
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_theory
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:04.644741+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-theory-20260505-0
summary:
A scientific theory is an explanation of an aspect of the natural world that can be or that has been repeatedly tested and has corroborating evidence in accordance with the scientific method, using accepted protocols of observation, measurement, and evaluation of results. Where possible, theories are tested under controlled conditions in an experiment. In circumstances not amenable to experimental testing, theories are evaluated through principles of abductive reasoning. Established scientific theories have withstood rigorous scrutiny and embody scientific knowledge. A scientific theory differs from a scientific fact: a fact is an observation, while a theory connects and explains multiple observations. Furthermore, a theory is expected to make predictions which could be confirmed or refuted with additional observations. Stephen Jay Gould wrote that: "...facts and theories are different things, not rungs in a hierarchy of increasing certainty. Facts are the world's data. Theories are structures of ideas that explain and interpret facts." A theory differs from a scientific law in that a law is an empirical description of a relationship between facts and/or other laws. For example, Newton's Law of Gravity is a mathematical equation that can be used to predict the attraction between bodies, but it is not a theory


id: scientific-theory-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_theory-1.md
category: reference
title: Scientific theory
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_theory
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:04.644741+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-theory-20260505-0
summary:
It can be subjected to minor adaptations to account for new data that do not fit it perfectly, as they are discovered, thus increasing its predictive capability over time. It is among the most parsimonious explanations, economical in the use of proposed entities or explanatory steps as per Occam's razor. This is because for each accepted explanation of a phenomenon, there may be an extremely large, perhaps even incomprehensible, number of possible and more complex alternatives, because one can always burden failing explanations with ad hoc hypotheses to prevent them from being falsified; therefore, simpler theories are preferable to more complex ones because they are more testable. === Definitions from scientific organizations === The United States National Academy of Sciences defines scientific theories as follows: The formal scientific definition of theory is quite different from the everyday meaning of the word. It refers to a comprehensive explanation of some aspect of nature that is supported by a vast body of evidence. Many scientific theories are so well established that no new evidence is likely to alter them substantially. For example, no new evidence will demonstrate that the Earth does not orbit around the Sun (heliocentric theory), or that living things


id: scientific-theory-20260505-2
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_theory-2.md
category: reference
title: Scientific theory
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_theory
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:04.644741+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-theory-20260505-0
summary:
== Modification and improvement == If experimental results contrary to a theory's predictions are observed, scientists first evaluate whether the experimental design was sound, and if so they confirm the results by independent replication. A search for potential improvements to the theory then begins. Solutions may require minor or major changes to the theory, or none at all if a satisfactory explanation is found within the theory's existing framework. Over time, as successive modifications build on top of each other, theories consistently improve and greater predictive accuracy is achieved. Since each new version of a theory (or a completely new theory) must have more predictive and explanatory power than the last, scientific knowledge consistently becomes more accurate over time. If modifications to the theory or other explanations seem to be insufficient to account for the new results, then a new theory may be required. Since scientific knowledge is usually durable, this occurs much less commonly than modification. Furthermore, until such a theory is proposed and accepted, the previous theory will be retained. This is because it is still the best available explanation for many other phenomena, as verified by its predictive power in other contexts. For example, it has been


id: scientific-theory-20260505-3
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_theory-3.md
category: reference
title: Scientific theory
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_theory
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:04.644741+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-theory-20260505-0
summary:
=== Theories and facts === A scientific theory does not turn into a fact. Scientific facts are observations that theories organize and explain. As new facts appear, a theory may be revised or new theories may emerge that encompass these additional facts. While American vernacular speech uses "theory" as similar to a "guess" in opposition to a "fact", in science the word "theory" means a model that is expected to explain a wide range of facts. == About theories == === Theories as axioms === The logical positivists thought of scientific theories as statements in a formal language. First-order logic is an example of a formal language. The logical positivists envisaged a similar scientific language. In addition to scientific theories, the language also included observation sentences ("the sun rises in the east"), definitions, and mathematical statements. The phenomena explained by the theories, if they could not be directly observed by the senses (for example, atoms and radio waves), were treated as theoretical concepts. In this view, theories function as axioms: predicted observations are derived from the theories much like theorems are derived in Euclidean geometry. However, the predictions are then tested against reality to verify the predictions, and the "axioms"


id: scientific-theory-20260505-4
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_theory-4.md
category: reference
title: Scientific theory
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_theory
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:04.644741+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-theory-20260505-0
summary:
...it is incorrect to speak of an assumption as either true or false, since there is no way of proving it to be either (If there were, it would no longer be an assumption). It is better to consider assumptions as either useful or useless, depending on whether deductions made from them correspond to reality...Since we must start somewhere, we must have assumptions, but at least let us have as few assumptions as possible. Certain assumptions are necessary for all empirical claims (e.g. the assumption that reality exists). However, theories do not generally make assumptions in the conventional sense (statements accepted without evidence). While assumptions are often incorporated during the formation of new theories, these are either supported by evidence (such as from previously existing theories) or the evidence is produced in the course of validating the theory. This may be as simple as observing that the theory makes accurate predictions, which is evidence that any assumptions made at the outset are correct or approximately correct under the conditions tested. Conventional assumptions, without evidence, may be used if the theory is only intended to apply when the assumption is valid (or approximately valid). For example, the special theory of relativity


id: scientific-theory-20260505-5
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_theory-5.md
category: reference
title: Scientific theory
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_theory
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:04.644741+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-theory-20260505-0
summary:
It is easy to obtain confirmations, or verifications, for nearly every theory—if we look for confirmations. Confirmations should count only if they are the result of risky predictions; that is to say, if, unenlightened by the theory in question, we should have expected an event which was incompatible with the theory—an event which would have refuted the theory. Every "good" scientific theory is a prohibition: it forbids certain things from happening. The more a theory forbids, the better it is. A theory which is not refutable by any conceivable event is non-scientific. Irrefutability is not a virtue of a theory (as people often think) but a vice. Every genuine test of a theory is an attempt to falsify it or to refute it. Testability is falsifiability; but there are degrees of testability: some theories are more testable, more exposed to refutation, than others; they take, as it were, greater risks. Confirming evidence should not count except when it is the result of a genuine test of the theory, and this means that it can be presented as a serious but unsuccessful attempt to falsify the theory. (I now speak in such cases of "corroborating evidence".) Some genuinely testable theories, when


id: scientific-theory-20260505-6
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_theory-6.md
category: reference
title: Scientific theory
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_theory
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:04.644741+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientific-theory-20260505-0
summary:
A theory is something other than myself. It may be set out on paper as a system of rules, and it is the more truly a theory the more completely it can be put down in such terms. Mathematical theory reaches the highest perfection in this respect. But even a geographical map fully embodies in itself a set of strict rules for finding one's way through a region of otherwise uncharted experience. Indeed, all theory may be regarded as a kind of map extended over space and time. A scientific theory can also be thought of as a book that captures the fundamental information about the world, a book that must be researched, written, and shared. In 1623, Galileo Galilei wrote: Philosophy [i.e. physics] is written in this grand book—I mean the universe—which stands continually open to our gaze, but it cannot be understood unless one first learns to comprehend the language and interpret the characters in which it is written. It is written in the language of mathematics, and its characters are triangles, circles, and other geometrical figures, without which it is humanly impossible to understand a single word of it; without these, one is wandering around in a


id: scientism-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientism-0.md
category: reference
title: Scientism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:05.946128+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientism-20260505-0
summary:
Scientism is the belief that science and the scientific method are the best or only way to render truth about the world and reality. While the term was defined originally to mean "methods and attitudes typical of or attributed to natural scientists", some scholars, as well as political and religious leaders, have also adopted it as a pejorative term with the meaning "an exaggerated trust in the efficacy of the methods of natural science applied to all areas of investigation (as in philosophy, the social sciences, and the humanities)". == Overview == Francis Bacon has been viewed by some scholars as an early proponent of scientism, but this is a modern assertion as Bacon was a devout Anglican, writing in his Essays, "a little philosophy inclineth man's mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth men's minds about to religion." With respect to the philosophy of science, the term scientism frequently implies a critique of the more extreme expressions of logical positivism and has been used by social scientists such as Friedrich Hayek, philosophers of science such as Karl Popper, and philosophers such as Mary Midgley, the later Hilary Putnam, and Tzvetan Todorov to describe (for example) the dogmatic endorsement


id: scientism-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientism-1.md
category: reference
title: Scientism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:05.946128+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientism-20260505-0
summary:
It is used to criticize a totalizing opinion of science as if it were capable of describing all reality and knowledge, or as if it were the only true method to acquire knowledge about reality and the nature of things; It is used, often pejoratively, to denote violations by which the theories and methods of one (scientific) discipline are applied inappropriately to another (scientific or non-scientific) discipline and its domain. An example of this second usage is to term as scientism any attempt to claim science as the only or primary source of human values (a traditional domain of ethics) or as the source of meaning and purpose (a traditional domain of religion and related worldviews). The term scientism was popularized by F. A. Hayek, who defined it in 1942 as the "slavish imitation of the method and language of Science". Mathematician Alexander Grothendieck, in his 1971 essay "The New Universal Church", characterized scientism as a religion-like ideology that advocates scientific reductionism, scientific authoritarianism, political technocracy and technological salvation, while denying the epistemological validity of feelings and experiences such as love, emotion, beauty and fulfillment. He predicted that "in coming years, the chief political dividing line will fall less and


id: scientism-20260505-2
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientism-2.md
category: reference
title: Scientism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:05.946128+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientism-20260505-0
summary:
== Relevance to debates about science and religion == Both religious and non-religious scholars have applied the term scientism to individuals associated with New Atheism. Theologian John Haught argued that philosopher Daniel Dennett and other New Atheists subscribe to a belief system of scientific naturalism, which includes the dogma that "only nature, including humans and our creations, is real: that God does not exist; and that science alone can give us complete and reliable knowledge of reality." Haught argued that this belief system is self-refuting since it requires its adherents to assent to beliefs that violate its own stated requirements for knowledge. Christian philosopher Peter Williams argued in 2013 that it is only by conflating science with scientism that New Atheists feel qualified to "pontificate on metaphysical issues". Daniel Dennett responded to religious criticism of his 2006 book Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon by saying that accusations of scientism "[are] an all-purpose, wild-card smear ... When someone puts forward a scientific theory that [religious critics] really don't like, they just try to discredit it as 'scientism'. But when it comes to facts, and explanations of facts, science is the only game in town". Non-religious scholars have also


id: scientism-20260505-3
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientism-3.md
category: reference
title: Scientism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:05.946128+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientism-20260505-0
summary:
Thomas M. Lessl argued that religious themes persist in what he terms scientism, the public rhetoric of science. There are two methods of describing this idea of scientism: the epistemological method (the assumption that the scientific method trumps other ways of knowing) and the ontological method (that the rational mind represents the world and both operate in knowable ways). According to Lessl, the ontological method is an attempt to "resolve the conflict between rationalism and skepticism". Lessl also argued that without scientism, there would not be a scientific culture. == Rationalization and modernity == In the introduction to his collected works on the sociology of religion, Max Weber asked why "the scientific, the artistic, the political, or the economic development [elsewhere] ... did not enter upon that path of rationalization which is peculiar to the Occident?" According to the German social theorist Jürgen Habermas, "For Weber, the intrinsic (that is, not merely contingent) relationship between modernity and what he called 'Occidental rationalism' was still self-evident." Weber described a process of rationalisation, disenchantment and the "disintegration of religious world views" that resulted in modern secular societies and capitalism. "Modernization" was introduced as a technical term only in the 1950s. It is


id: secondary-research-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondary_research-0.md
category: reference
title: Secondary research
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondary_research
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:07.142277+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: secondary-research-20260505-0
summary:
Secondary research involves the summary, collation and/or synthesis of existing research. Secondary research is contrasted with primary research in that primary research involves the generation of data, whereas secondary research uses primary research sources as a source of data for analysis. A notable marker of primary research is the inclusion of a "methods" section, where the authors describe how the data was generated. Common examples of secondary research include textbooks, encyclopedias, news articles, review articles, and meta analyses. When conducting secondary research, authors may draw data from published academic papers, government documents, statistical databases, and historical records. == Fields == The term is widely used in fields such as history, legal research, market research, and Wikipedia editing. The principal methodology in health secondary research is the systematic review, commonly using meta-analytic statistical techniques. Other methods of synthesis, like realist reviews and meta-narrative reviews, have been developed in the 21st century. Secondary market research includes the reuse by a second party of any data collected from a first party such as telephone interviews or surveys. Secondary market research can be broken up into two categories: information from internal sources such as an agency or company, and information from external sources held


id: selection-bias-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selection_bias-0.md
category: reference
title: Selection bias
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selection_bias
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:08.366229+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: selection-bias-20260505-0
summary:
Selection bias is the bias introduced by the selection of individuals, groups, or data for analysis in such a way that the association between exposure and outcome among those selected for analysis differs from the association among those eligible. It typically occurs when researchers condition on a factor that is influenced both by the exposure and the outcome (or their causes), creating a false association between them. Selection bias encompasses several forms of bias, including differential loss-to-follow-up, incidence–prevalence bias, volunteer bias, healthy-worker bias, and nonresponse bias. == Types of bias == === Sampling bias === Sampling bias is systematic error due to a non-random sample of a population, causing some members of the population to be less likely to be included than others, resulting in a biased sample, defined as a statistical sample of a population (or non-human factors) in which all participants are not equally balanced or objectively represented. It is mostly classified as a subtype of selection bias, sometimes specifically termed sample selection bias, but some classify it as a separate type of bias. A distinction of sampling bias (albeit not a universally accepted one) is that it undermines the external validity of a test (the ability of


id: selection-bias-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selection_bias-1.md
category: reference
title: Selection bias
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selection_bias
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:08.366229+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: selection-bias-20260505-0
summary:
=== Observer selection === Philosopher Nick Bostrom has argued that data are filtered not only by study design and measurement, but by the necessary precondition that there has to be someone doing a study. In situations where the existence of the observer or the study is correlated with the data, observation selection effects occur, and anthropic reasoning is required. An example is the past impact event record of Earth: if large impacts cause mass extinctions and ecological disruptions precluding the evolution of intelligent observers for long periods, no one will observe any evidence of large impacts in the recent past (since they would have prevented intelligent observers from evolving). Hence there is a potential bias in the impact record of Earth. Astronomical existential risks might similarly be underestimated due to selection bias, and an anthropic correction has to be introduced. === Volunteer bias === Self-selection bias or a volunteer bias in studies offer further threats to the validity of a study as these participants may have intrinsically different characteristics from the target population of the study. Studies have shown that volunteers tend to come from a higher social standing than from a lower socio-economic background. Furthermore, another study shows that


id: self-experimentation-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-experimentation-0.md
category: reference
title: Self-experimentation
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-experimentation
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:09.699220+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: self-experimentation-20260505-0
summary:
Self-experimentation refers to single-subject research in which the experimenter conducts the experiment on themself. Usually, this means that a single person is the designer, operator, subject, analyst, and user or reporter of the experiment. Self-experimentation is an example of citizen science since it can be done by patients or people interested in their own health and well-being, as both research subjects and self-experimenters. It is also referred to as personal science or N-of-1 research. == Biology and medicine == Human scientific self-experimentation principally (though not necessarily) falls into the fields of medicine and psychology. Self-experimentation has a long and well-documented history in medicine which continues to the present day. For example, after failed attempts to infect piglets in 1984, Barry Marshall drank a petri dish of Helicobacter pylori from a patient, and soon developed gastritis, achlorhydria, stomach discomfort, nausea, vomiting, and halitosis. The results were published in 1985 in the Medical Journal of Australia, and is among the most cited articles from the journal. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2005. Evaluations have been presented in the context of clinical trials and program evaluations. == Psychology == In psychology, the best-known self-experiments are the memory


id: self-experimentation-in-medicine-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-experimentation_in_medicine-0.md
category: reference
title: Self-experimentation in medicine
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-experimentation_in_medicine
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:11.041214+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: self-experimentation-in-medicine-20260505-0
summary:
Self-experimentation refers to scientific experimentation in which the experimenter conducts the experiment on themself. Often this means that the designer, operator, subject, analyst, and user or reporter of the experiment are all the same. Self-experimentation has a long and well-documented history in medicine which continues to the present. Some of these experiments have been very valuable and shed new and often unexpected insights into different areas of medicine. There are many motivations for self-experiment. These include the wish to get results quickly and avoid the need for a formal organisational structure, to take the ethical stance of taking the same risk as volunteers, or just a desire to do good for humanity. Other ethical issues include whether a researcher should self-experiment because another volunteer would not get the same benefit as the researcher will get, and the question of whether informed consent of a volunteer can truly be given by those outside a research program. A number of distinguished scientists have undertaken self-experimentation, including at least five Nobel laureates; in several cases, the prize was awarded for findings the self-experimentation made possible. Many experiments were dangerous; various people exposed themselves to pathogenic, toxic or radioactive materials. Some self-experimenters, like Jesse


id: self-experimentation-in-medicine-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-experimentation_in_medicine-1.md
category: reference
title: Self-experimentation in medicine
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-experimentation_in_medicine
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:11.041214+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: self-experimentation-in-medicine-20260505-0
summary:
== Ethics == As already mentioned, it is an ethical principle that the researcher should not inflict on volunteers anything that the researcher would not be willing to do to themself, but the researcher is not always a suitable, or even possible, subject for the experiment. For instance, the researcher may be the wrong sex if the research is into hormone treatment for women, or may be too old, or too young. The ethical question for the researchers is would they agree to the experiment if they were in the same position as the volunteers? Another issue that can lead researchers not to take part is whether the researcher would stand to gain any benefit from taking part in the experiment. It is an ethical principle that volunteers must stand to gain some benefit from the research, even if that is only a remote future possibility of treatment being found for a disease that they only have a small chance of contracting. Tests on experimental drugs are sometimes conducted on sufferers of an untreatable condition. If the researcher does not have that condition then there can be no possible benefit to them personally. For instance, Ronald C. Desrosiers in responding


id: self-experimentation-in-medicine-20260505-2
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-experimentation_in_medicine-2.md
category: reference
title: Self-experimentation in medicine
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-experimentation_in_medicine
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:11.041214+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: self-experimentation-in-medicine-20260505-0
summary:
=== Anaesthesia === Dentist Horace Wells made multiple experiments with nitrous oxide, diethyl ether, and chloroform while trying to determine their uses as anaesthetics. The first, conducted in 1844, consisted of having his assistant John Riggs dose him with nitrous oxide and then extract one of his teeth. His later self-experimentation of ether and chloroform took place in 1848, and he eventually became addicted to chloroform due to excessive use. He inhaled chloroform as an anaesthetic shortly before committing suicide on January 24, 1848. Lidocaine, the first amino amide–type local anaesthetic, was first synthesized under the name xylocaine by Swedish chemist Nils Löfgren in 1943. His colleague Bengt Lundqvist performed the first injection anaesthesia experiments on himself. === Asthma === Roger Altounyan developed the use of sodium cromoglycate as a remedy for asthma, based on khella, a traditional Middle Eastern remedy, with experiments on himself. === Blood === ==== ABO blood group system ==== Dr. Karl Landsteiner's discovery of the ABO blood group system in 1900 was based on an analysis of blood samples from six members of his laboratory staff, including himself. ==== Thrombocytopenia ==== In the Harrington–Hollingsworth experiment in 1950, William J. Harrington performed an exchange blood transfusion


id: self-experimentation-in-medicine-20260505-3
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-experimentation_in_medicine-3.md
category: reference
title: Self-experimentation in medicine
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-experimentation_in_medicine
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:11.041214+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: self-experimentation-in-medicine-20260505-0
summary:
===== Helicobacter pylori ===== In 1984 a Western Australian scientist, Dr Barry Marshall, discovered the link between Helicobacter pylori (at that time known as Campylobacter pylori) and gastritis. This was based on a series of self-experiments that involved gastroscopy and biopsy, ingestion of H. pylori, regastroscopy and biopsy and subsequent treatment with tinidazole. His only option was self-experimentation: ethical measures forbade him from administering H. pylori to any other person. In 2005, Marshall and his long-time collaborator Robin Warren were awarded Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, "for their discovery of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori and its role in gastritis and peptic ulcer disease". Marshall's experiment debunked the long-held belief of the medical profession that stress was the cause of gastritis. This cleared the way for the development of antibiotic treatments for gastritis and peptic ulcers and a new line of research into the likely role of H. pylori in stomach cancer. ===== Campylobacter jejuni ===== Marshall's investigation was preceded by David A. Robinson who, in 1980, ingested Campylobacter jejuni, a bacterium found in cow's milk, to investigate whether gastritis could be caused by drinking milk infected with C. jejuni. Robinson became sick as a result. Robinson needed to do


id: self-experimentation-in-medicine-20260505-4
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-experimentation_in_medicine-4.md
category: reference
title: Self-experimentation in medicine
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-experimentation_in_medicine
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:11.041214+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: self-experimentation-in-medicine-20260505-0
summary:
==== Disulfiram ==== In 1945, during the German occupation of Denmark, Erik Jacobsen and Jens Hald at the Danish drug company Medicinalco (which had a group of enthusiastic self-experimenters that called itself the "Death Battalion") were exploring the possible use of disulfiram to treat intestinal parasites, and in the course of testing it on themselves, accidentally discovered its effects (Disulfiram-alcohol reaction) when alcohol is ingested, which led several years later to the drug called Antabuse. ==== Furan ==== Chauncey D. Leake, in 1930, took furan as a possible substitute for aspirin but it just gave him a splitting headache and painful urination that lasted three days. ==== Grapefruit juice ==== David G. Bailey, in 1989, was researching the effects of drinking alcohol while taking the then experimental drug felodipine. It was usual in this kind of research to mix the alcohol with orange juice but Bailey did not like the taste of this drink so used grapefruit juice instead. Bailey found that there was three times more felodipine in his, and fellow researchers', blood than had been reported by other scientists using orange juice. It was later found that grapefruit juice suppresses an enzyme responsible for breaking down a large


id: self-experimentation-in-medicine-20260505-5
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-experimentation_in_medicine-5.md
category: reference
title: Self-experimentation in medicine
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-experimentation_in_medicine
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:11.041214+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: self-experimentation-in-medicine-20260505-0
summary:
==== Hanging ==== In the early 1900s Nicolae Minovici, a professor of forensic science in Bucharest, undertook a series of experiments into hanging. At first he put the noose around his neck while lying down and had an assistant put tension on the rope. He then moved on to full suspension by the neck. Finally, he attempted suspension with a slipping hangman's knot, but the pain was too great for him to continue. He could not swallow for a month. Minovici was determined to surpass a record set by Dr. Fleichmann of Erlangen, who in 1832, self-asphyxiated for two minutes. However, Minovici could not get close to this and disbelieved Fleichmann. Minovici and Fleichmann are not the only ones to self-experiment with strangulation. Graeme Hammond, a doctor in New York, tried it in 1882. Francis Bacon described an even earlier occasion in 1623 when the self-experimenter stepped off a stool with a rope around his neck, but was unable to regain his footing on the stool without assistance. ==== Rapid acceleration ==== John Paul Stapp, in 1954, sat in a rocket sled fired along rails in a series of steadily more violent tests. Speeds reached 631 mph, almost the speed


id: self-experimentation-in-medicine-20260505-6
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-experimentation_in_medicine-6.md
category: reference
title: Self-experimentation in medicine
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-experimentation_in_medicine
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:11.041214+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: self-experimentation-in-medicine-20260505-0
summary:
There have been several cases of surgeons operating on themselves, but most often it has been in the nature of an emergency rather than experiment. Such a case was Leonid Rogozov who was obliged to remove his own appendix in 1961 while stranded in Antarctica in winter. However, the first surgeon to carry out this self-operation, Evan O'Neill Kane in 1921, did so with an element of experiment. Although Kane's operation was necessary, it was not necessary to do it himself, so that in itself was experimental. More than that, Kane wished to experience the operation under local anaesthetic before trying the procedure on his patients. Kane advocated a reduction in the use of general anaesthetic by surgeons. In 2023, Michael Raduga, a Russian lucid dreaming researcher, performed self-neurosurgery that included trepanation, electrode implantation, and electrical stimulation of the motor cortex. ==== Sensory deprivation ==== John C. Lilly developed the first sensory deprivation tanks and self-experimented them with the intention to study the origin of consciousness and its relation to the brain by creating an environment which isolates an individual from external stimulation. ==== Temperature and pressure ==== Joseph Barcroft, in 1920, spent six days in a sealed glass chamber


id: serendipity-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serendipity-0.md
category: reference
title: Serendipity
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serendipity
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:12.267758+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: serendipity-20260505-0
summary:
Serendipity is an unplanned fortunate discovery. The term was coined by Horace Walpole in 1754. The concept is often associated with scientific and technological breakthroughs, where accidental discoveries led to new insights or inventions. Many significant discoveries in history were serendipitous, including penicillin, Post-it notes, Popsicles, and the microwave oven, arising from unforeseen circumstances that were then recognized and capitalized upon. == Definition == Christian Busch views serendipity as "active luck", where chance encounters and human action come together. A missed flight or a casual walk in the park can lead to new friendships, interests, or even career opportunities. While serendipity in popular usage is often understood as a matter of pure chance, scientific discussions emphasize the crucial role of human agency—recognizing, interpreting, and acting upon unexpected opportunities. This interaction between chance and conscious action has been a key theme in areas such as creativity, leadership, innovation, and entrepreneurship. == Etymology == The first noted use of "serendipity" was by Horace Walpole on 28 January 1754. In a letter he wrote to his friend Horace Mann, Walpole explained an unexpected discovery he had made about a painting of Bianca Cappello, which he recently received from Mann as a gift. The


id: serendipity-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serendipity-1.md
category: reference
title: Serendipity
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serendipity
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:12.267758+00:00
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parent: serendipity-20260505-0
summary:
Carbonated water was invented by Joseph Priestley, independently and by accident, in 1767 when he discovered a method of infusing water with carbon dioxide after having suspended a bowl of water above a beer vat at a brewery in Leeds, Yorkshire. He wrote of the "peculiar satisfaction" he found in drinking it, and in 1772 he published a paper entitled Impregnating Water with Fixed Air. Vulcanization was discovered by Charles Goodyear in 1839 when he accidentally dropped rubber mixed with sulfur on a hot frying pan. He noticed that the resulting rubber was stronger and heat-resistant. Corn flakes were invented in 1894 when John Harvey Kellogg unintentionally left a batch of wheat-berry dough out over night. The next day, he decided to figure out what could be done to salvage it, rather than throwing it out. John, Will, and Ella Kellogg then discerned what happened and realized that this process could be reliably recreated through a process known as tempering. Safety glass first originated when French chemist Édouard Bénédictus accidentally dropped a glass flask in 1903 and noticed that it did not shatter like traditional glass. He then sought to refine the material to create a safer form of glass.


id: serendipity-20260505-2
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serendipity-2.md
category: reference
title: Serendipity
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serendipity
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:12.267758+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: serendipity-20260505-0
summary:
== Related terms == Several uncommonly used terms have been derived from the concept and name of serendipity. William Boyd coined the term zemblanity in the late twentieth century to mean somewhat the opposite of serendipity: "making unhappy, unlucky and expected discoveries occurring by design". The derivation is speculative, but believed to be from Nova Zembla, a barren archipelago once the site of Russian nuclear testing. Bahramdipity is derived directly from Bahram Gur as characterized in The Three Princes of Serendip. It describes the suppression of serendipitous discoveries or research results by powerful individuals. In addition, Solomon & Bronstein (2018) further distinguish between perceptual and realised pseudo-serendipity and nemorinity. == See also == Browse Coincidence Felix culpa Insight Lateral thinking Multiple discovery Role of chance in scientific discoveries Serendipaceratops Serendipity Sapphire Side effect Synchronicity == References == == Further reading == Merton, Robert K.; Barber, Elinor (2004). The Travels and Adventures of Serendipity: A Study in Sociological Semantics and the Sociology of Science. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0691117546. (Manuscript written 1958). Hannan, Patrick J. (2006). Serendipity, Luck and Wisdom in Research. iUniverse. ISBN 978-0595365517. Roberts, Royston M. (1989). Serendipity: Accidental Discoveries in Science. Wiley. ISBN 978-0471602033. Isabelle Rivoal and Noel


id: solomon-four-group-design-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomon_four-group_design-0.md
category: reference
title: Solomon four-group design
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomon_four-group_design
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:13.508479+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: solomon-four-group-design-20260505-0
summary:
The Solomon four-group design is a research method developed by Richard Solomon in 1949. It is sometimes used in social science, psychology and medicine. It can be used if there are concerns that the treatment might be sensitized by the pre-test. In addition of the usual two groups (treatment and control), it has a second pair of groups who do not receive a pre-intervention evaluation. == Structure == The structure of the trial is shown in the table : The first two groups receive the evaluation test before and after the study, as in a normal two-group trial. The second groups receive the evaluation only after the study. The effectiveness of the treatment can be evaluated by comparisons between groups 1 and 3 and between groups 2 and 4.. In addition, the effect of the pre-treatment evaluation can be calculated by comparing the control group who received the pre-treatment evaluation with those who did not (groups 2 and 4). Various statistical treatments for the Solomon four-group design have been put forward, including Stouffer's Z and Monte Carlo. == References ==


id: source-criticism-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Source_criticism-0.md
category: reference
title: Source criticism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Source_criticism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:14.976172+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: source-criticism-20260505-0
summary:
Source criticism (or information evaluation) is the process of evaluating an information source, i.e.: a document, a person, a speech, a fingerprint, a photo, an observation, or anything used in order to obtain knowledge. In relation to a given purpose, a given information source may be more or less valid, reliable or relevant. Broadly, "source criticism" is the interdisciplinary study of how information sources are evaluated for given tasks. == Meaning == Problems in translation: The Danish word kildekritik, like the Norwegian word kildekritikk and the Swedish word källkritik, derived from the German Quellenkritik and is closely associated with the German historian Leopold von Ranke (1795–1886). Historian Wolfgang Hardtwig wrote: His [Ranke's] first work Geschichte der romanischen und germanischen Völker von 1494–1514 (History of the Latin and Teutonic Nations from 1494 to 1514) (1824) was a great success. It already showed some of the basic characteristics of his conception of Europe, and was of historiographical importance particularly because Ranke made an exemplary critical analysis of his sources in a separate volume, Zur Kritik neuerer Geschichtsschreiber (On the Critical Methods of Recent Historians). In this work he raised the method of textual criticism used in the late eighteenth century, particularly in


id: source-criticism-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Source_criticism-1.md
category: reference
title: Source criticism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Source_criticism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:14.976172+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: source-criticism-20260505-0
summary:
Empiricism evaluates sources by considering the observations (or sensations) on which they are based. Sources without basis in experience are not seen as valid. Rationalism provides low priority to sources based on observations. In order to be meaningful, observations must be explained by clear ideas or concepts. It is the logical structure and the well definedness that is in focus in evaluating information sources from the rationalist point of view. Historicism evaluates information sources on the basis of their reflection of their sociocultural context and their theoretical development. Pragmatism evaluate sources on the basis of how their values and usefulness to accomplish certain outcomes. Pragmatism is skeptical about claimed neutral information sources. The evaluation of knowledge or information sources cannot be more certain than is the construction of knowledge. If one accepts the principle of fallibilism then one also has to accept that source criticism can never 100% verify knowledge claims. As discussed in the next section, source criticism is intimately linked to scientific methods. The presence of fallacies of argument in sources is another kind of philosophical criterion for evaluating sources. Fallacies are presented by Walton (1998). Among the fallacies are the ad hominem fallacy (the use of personal


id: source-criticism-20260505-2
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Source_criticism-2.md
category: reference
title: Source criticism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Source_criticism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:14.976172+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: source-criticism-20260505-0
summary:
Photos are often manipulated during wars and for political purposes. One well known example is Joseph Stalin's manipulation of a photograph from May 5, 1920, on which Stalin's predecessor Lenin held a speech for Soviet troops that Leon Trotsky attended. Stalin had later Trotsky retouched out of this photograph. (cf. King, 1997). A recent example is reported by Healy (2008) about North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. === Internet sources === Much interest in evaluating Internet sources (such as Wikipedia) is reflected in the scholarly literature of library and information science and in other fields. Mintz (2002) is an edited volume about this issue. Examples of literature examining Internet sources include Chesney (2006), Fritch & Cromwell (2001), Leth & Thurén (2000) and Wilkinson, Bennett, & Oliver (1997). === Archaeology and history === "In history, the term historical method was first introduced in a systematic way in the sixteenth century by Jean Bodin in his treatise of source criticism, Methodus ad facilem historiarium cognitionem (1566). Characteristically, Bodin's treatise intended to establish the ways by which reliable knowledge of the past could be established by checking sources against one another and by so assessing the reliability of the information conveyed by them,


id: source-criticism-20260505-3
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Source_criticism-3.md
category: reference
title: Source criticism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Source_criticism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:14.976172+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: source-criticism-20260505-0
summary:
The most important legal sources are created by parliaments, governments, courts, and legal researchers. They may be written or informal and based on established practices. Views concerning the quality of sources differ among legal philosophies: Legal positivism is the view that the text of the law should be considered in isolation, while legal realism, interpretivism (legal), critical legal studies and feminist legal criticism interprets the law on a broader cultural basis. == See also == == Notes == == References == American Library Association (1994) Evaluating Information: A Basic Checklist. Brochure. American Library Association Anderson, Richard C. (1978). Schema-directed processes in language comprehension. IN: NATO International Conference on Cognitive Psychology and Instruction, 1977, Amsterdam: Cognitive Psychology and Instruction. Ed. by A. M. Lesgold, J. W. Pellegrino, S. D. Fokkema & R. Glaser. New York: Plenum Press (pp. 67–82). Anderson, Richard C. & Pichert, J. W. (1977). Recall of previously unrecallable information following a shift of perspective. Urbana, Il: University of Illinois, Center for the Study of Reading, April. 1977. (Technical Report 41). Available in full-text from: http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/31/83/58.pdf Bazerman, Charles (1995). The Informed Writer: Using Sources in the Disciplines. 5th ed. Houghton Mifflin. Bee, Ronald E. (1983). Statistics and Source Criticism.


id: source-criticism-20260505-4
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Source_criticism-4.md
category: reference
title: Source criticism
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Source_criticism
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:14.976172+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: source-criticism-20260505-0
summary:
== External links == The Source Compass: Source Criticism The History Sourcebook: The Need for Source Criticism


id: statistical-alchemy-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistical_alchemy-0.md
category: reference
title: Statistical alchemy
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistical_alchemy
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:16.221389+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: statistical-alchemy-20260505-0
summary:
Statistical alchemy was a term originated by John Maynard Keynes to describe econometrics in 1939. The phrase has subsequently been used by Alvan Feinstein to describe meta-analysis. It is generally regarded as a deprecatory term which undermines attempts to present such activities as meeting the rigorous standards of science. == Econometrics == Keynes (1939) wrote a review of Jan Tinbergen's Statistical Testing of Business-Cycle Theories. Although he praised Tinbergen for his objectivity, he however depicted his methodology as "black magic" which he regarded as essentially untrustworthy. He was unpersuaded that "this brand of statistical alchemy is ripe to become a branch of science" (emphasis in the original). Often this metaphor is seen as a way of suggesting that econometricians were following a foolhardy pursuit comparable to the alchemical quest of turning base metal into gold. However G. M. P. Swann points out that Keynes was well aware that such eminent early scientists as Isaac Newton. He rather proposes a more nuanced interpretation of the metaphor as referring to the Alkahest, a universal solvent, which, it was claimed could turn stone into water. He claimed that by restricting econometrics to theory, mathematics and statistics, econometricians had discarded other important applied techniques.


id: statistical-inference-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistical_inference-0.md
category: reference
title: Statistical inference
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistical_inference
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:17.584057+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: statistical-inference-20260505-0
summary:
Statistical inference is the process of using data analysis to infer properties of an underlying probability distribution. Inferential statistical analysis infers properties of a population, for example by testing hypotheses and deriving estimates. It is assumed that the observed data set is sampled from a larger population. Inferential statistics can be contrasted with descriptive statistics. Descriptive statistics is solely concerned with properties of the observed data, and it does not rest on the assumption that the data come from a larger population. In machine learning, the term inference is sometimes used instead to mean "make a prediction, by evaluating an already trained model"; in this context inferring properties of the model is referred to as training or learning (rather than inference), and using a model for prediction is referred to as inference (instead of prediction); see also predictive inference. == Introduction == Statistical inference makes propositions about a population, using data drawn from the population with some form of sampling. Given a hypothesis about a population, for which we wish to draw inferences, statistical inference consists of (first) selecting a statistical model of the process that generates the data and (second) deducing propositions from the model. Konishi and Kitagawa state


id: statistical-inference-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistical_inference-1.md
category: reference
title: Statistical inference
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistical_inference
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:17.584057+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: statistical-inference-20260505-0
summary:
Given the difficulty in specifying exact distributions of sample statistics, many methods have been developed for approximating these. With finite samples, approximation results measure how close a limiting distribution approaches the statistic's sample distribution: For example, with 10,000 independent samples the normal distribution approximates (to two digits of accuracy) the distribution of the sample mean for many population distributions, by the Berry–Esseen theorem. Yet for many practical purposes, the normal approximation provides a good approximation to the sample-mean's distribution when there are 10 (or more) independent samples, according to simulation studies and statisticians' experience. Following Kolmogorov's work in the 1950s, advanced statistics uses approximation theory and functional analysis to quantify the error of approximation. In this approach, the metric geometry of probability distributions is studied; this approach quantifies approximation error with, for example, the Kullback–Leibler divergence, Bregman divergence, and the Hellinger distance. With indefinitely large samples, limiting results like the central limit theorem describe the sample statistic's limiting distribution if one exists. Limiting results are not statements about finite samples, and indeed are irrelevant to finite samples. However, the asymptotic theory of limiting distributions is often invoked for work with finite samples. For example, limiting results are often invoked to


id: statistical-inference-20260505-2
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistical_inference-2.md
category: reference
title: Statistical inference
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistical_inference
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:17.584057+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: statistical-inference-20260505-0
summary:
This paradigm calibrates the plausibility of propositions by considering (notional) repeated sampling of a population distribution to produce datasets similar to the one at hand. By considering the dataset's characteristics under repeated sampling, the frequentist properties of a statistical proposition can be quantified—although in practice this quantification may be challenging. ==== Examples of frequentist inference ==== p-value Confidence interval Null hypothesis significance testing ==== Frequentist inference, objectivity, and decision theory ==== One interpretation of frequentist inference (or classical inference) is that it is applicable only in terms of frequency probability; that is, in terms of repeated sampling from a population. However, the approach of Neyman develops these procedures in terms of pre-experiment probabilities. That is, before undertaking an experiment, one decides on a rule for coming to a conclusion such that the probability of being correct is controlled in a suitable way: such a probability need not have a frequentist or repeated sampling interpretation. In contrast, Bayesian inference works in terms of conditional probabilities (i.e. probabilities conditional on the observed data), compared to the marginal (but conditioned on unknown parameters) probabilities used in the frequentist approach. The frequentist procedures of significance testing and confidence intervals can be constructed without regard


id: statistical-inference-20260505-3
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistical_inference-3.md
category: reference
title: Statistical inference
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistical_inference
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:17.584057+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: statistical-inference-20260505-0
summary:
Formulating the statistical model: A statistical model is defined based on the problem at hand, specifying the distributional assumptions and the relationship between the observed data and the unknown parameters. The model can be simple, such as a normal distribution with known variance, or complex, such as a hierarchical model with multiple levels of random effects. Constructing the likelihood function: Given the statistical model, the likelihood function is constructed by evaluating the joint probability density or mass function of the observed data as a function of the unknown parameters. This function represents the probability of observing the data for different values of the parameters. Maximizing the likelihood function: The next step is to find the set of parameter values that maximizes the likelihood function. This can be achieved using optimization techniques such as numerical optimization algorithms. The estimated parameter values, often denoted as y ¯ {\displaystyle {\bar {y}}} , are the maximum likelihood estimates (MLEs). Assessing uncertainty: Once the MLEs are obtained, it is crucial to quantify the uncertainty associated with the parameter estimates. This can be done by calculating standard errors, confidence intervals, or conducting hypothesis tests based on asymptotic theory or simulation techniques such as bootstrapping. Model checking:


id: stigler-s-law-of-eponymy-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stigler's_law_of_eponymy-0.md
category: reference
title: Stigler's law of eponymy
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stigler's_law_of_eponymy
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:18.810696+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: stigler-s-law-of-eponymy-20260505-0
summary:
Stigler's law of eponymy, proposed by University of Chicago statistics professor Stephen Stigler in 1980, states that no scientific discovery is named after its original discoverer. Examples include Hubble's law, which was derived by Georges Lemaître two years before Edwin Hubble; the Pythagorean theorem, which was known to Babylonian mathematicians and to Indian mathematicians before Pythagoras; and Halley's Comet, which was observed by astronomers since at least 240 BC (although its official designation is due to the first ever mathematical prediction of such astronomical phenomenon in the sky, not to its discovery). Stigler attributed the discovery of Stigler's law to sociologist Robert K. Merton, making "Stigler's law" an example of Stigler's law. In his paper, Stigler wrote: I have chosen as a title for this paper, and for the thesis I wish to present and discuss, "Stigler's law of eponymy". At first glance this may appear to be a flagrant violation of the "Institutional Norm of Humility," and since statisticians are even more aware of the importance of norms than are members of other disciplines, I hasten to add a humble disclaimer. If there is an idea in this paper that is not at least implicit in Merton's The Sociology


id: list-of-examples-of-stigler-s-law-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_examples_of_Stigler's_law-0.md
category: reference
title: List of examples of Stigler's law
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_examples_of_Stigler's_law
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:20.028518+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: list-of-examples-of-stigler-s-law-20260505-0
summary:
Stigler's law concerns the supposed tendency of eponymous expressions for scientific discoveries to honor people other than their respective originators. Examples include: == A == Aharonov–Bohm effect. Werner Ehrenberg and Raymond E. Siday first predicted the effect in 1949, and similar effects were later rediscovered by Yakir Aharonov and David Bohm in 1959. Ampère's circuital law was inspired by the experimental results of André-Marie Ampère, and named in his honor. However, it was James Clerk Maxwell who combined those results into a single mathematical law. Arabic numerals, first developed in India around 7th century. Archimedes' screw is known to predate Archimedes by at least three centuries in ancient Babylon. Argand diagram by Caspar Wessel in 1797, predating Jean-Robert Argand by nine years. Arrhenius equation. The equation was first proposed by the Dutch chemist J. H. van 't Hoff in 1884; five years later in 1889, the Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius provided a physical justification and interpretation for it. Auger effect. First discovered by Lise Meitner in 1922 and then, independently, in 1923 by Pierre Victor Auger. == B == Bailey–Borwein–Plouffe formula was discovered by Simon Plouffe, who has since expressed regret at having to share credit for his discovery. Bell


id: list-of-examples-of-stigler-s-law-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_examples_of_Stigler's_law-1.md
category: reference
title: List of examples of Stigler's law
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_examples_of_Stigler's_law
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:20.028518+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: list-of-examples-of-stigler-s-law-20260505-0
summary:
== C == Cantor–Bernstein–Schröder theorem (also known by other variations, such as Schröder-Bernstein theorem) first proved by Richard Dedekind Cantor set, discovered in 1874 by Henry John Stephen Smith and introduced by German mathematician Georg Cantor 1883. Carmichael number: Václav Šimerka listed the first seven Carmichael numbers in 1885; they are named after Robert Daniel Carmichael who subsequently discovered the first one in 1910. Cartan matrices, first investigated by Wilhelm Killing. Cardano's formula, the solution to general cubic equations. Cardano stated that it was discovered by Scipione del Ferro, who passed the knowledge to his student Antonio Maria Fior. Around 1535 Niccolò Fontana Tartaglia learned of this from Fior and re-derived the formula for the cubic, which he later shared with Cardano. Cassegrain reflector, named after a design published in 1672 which has been attributed to Laurent Cassegrain, but was already known to Bonaventura Cavalieri in 1632 and Marin Mersenne in 1636. Cartesian duality: Named for René Descartes, but Teresa of Avila and her contemporaries wrote about similar methods of philosophical exploration eight to ten years before Descartes was born. Cavendish balance for measuring the universal gravitational constant, first devised and constructed by John Michell. The Cayley–Hamilton theorem was proven


id: list-of-examples-of-stigler-s-law-20260505-2
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_examples_of_Stigler's_law-2.md
category: reference
title: List of examples of Stigler's law
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_examples_of_Stigler's_law
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:20.028518+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: list-of-examples-of-stigler-s-law-20260505-0
summary:
== G == Galileo's paradox: the property of infinite sets was known to Duns Scotus. Gauss's law: first described by Joseph Louis Lagrange in 1773, over half a century before Gauss. Gauss's theorem: first proved by Ostrogradsky in 1831. Gaussian distribution: the normal distribution was introduced by Abraham de Moivre in 1733, but named after Carl Friedrich Gauss who began using it in 1794. Gaussian elimination: was already in well-known textbooks such as Thomas Simpson's when Gauss in 1809 remarked that he used "common elimination." Gibbs phenomenon: named for Josiah Willard Gibbs who published in 1901. First discovered by Henry Wilbraham in 1851. Goodhart's law, with several earlier variations, like Campbell's law. The Graetz circuit, also known as the diode bridge, was invented and patented in 1896 by Karol Pollak a year before it was published by Leo Graetz. The Graham escapement is often erroneously credited to English clockmaker George Graham but it was actually invented by astronomer Richard Towneley. The Gregorian telescope is named after James Gregory, who published it in 1663, but was already known to Bonaventura Cavalieri in 1632 and Marin Mersenne in 1636. Gresham's law was described by Nicolaus Copernicus in 1519, the year of Thomas


id: list-of-examples-of-stigler-s-law-20260505-3
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_examples_of_Stigler's_law-3.md
category: reference
title: List of examples of Stigler's law
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_examples_of_Stigler's_law
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:20.028518+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: list-of-examples-of-stigler-s-law-20260505-0
summary:
== M == Maxwell's equations. The modern form of the equations in their most common formulation is credited to Oliver Heaviside, based on James Clerk Maxwell's original work. Madelung rule, describing the order in which electron orbitals are filled, named after Erwin Madelung but first discovered by Charles Janet. Magellanic Clouds, while observed by Antonio Pigafetta on one of Magellan's voyages there were previous reports made by 16th century Italian authors Peter Martyr d'Anghiera and Andrea Corsali and earlier reports by Arabic astronomers. Matthew effect, named by Robert K. Merton after the writer of the Gospel of Matthew quoting the words of Jesus. Meadow's law, the formulation that one cot death in a family is tragic, two suspicious, and three murder, originally described by D.J. and V.J.M. Di Maio. Metropolis–Hastings algorithm. The algorithm was named after Nicholas Metropolis, who was the director of the Theoretical Division of Los Alamos National Laboratory at the time of writing the paper Equation of State Calculations by Fast Computing Machines. However, Metropolis did not contribute to that study in any way, as confirmed by various sources. The research problem was proposed by Augusta H. Teller and solved by Marshall N. Rosenbluth and Arianna W.


id: list-of-examples-of-stigler-s-law-20260505-4
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_examples_of_Stigler's_law-4.md
category: reference
title: List of examples of Stigler's law
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_examples_of_Stigler's_law
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:20.028518+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: list-of-examples-of-stigler-s-law-20260505-0
summary:
== R == The Reynolds number in fluid mechanics was introduced by George Stokes, but is named after Osborne Reynolds, who popularized its use. Richards equation is attributed to Richards in his 1931 publication, but was earlier introduced by Richardson in 1922 in his book "Weather prediction by numerical process." (Cambridge University press. p. 262) as pointed out by John Knight and Peter Raats in "The contributions of Lewis Fry Richardson to drainage theory, soil physics, and the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum" EGU General Assembly 2016. Russell's paradox is a paradox in set theory that Bertrand Russell discovered and published in 1901. However, Ernst Zermelo had independently discovered the paradox in 1899. == S == The Sankey diagram was invented by Charles Joseph Minard The Schottky diode was neither discovered by Schottky nor its operation correctly explained by him. The actual nature of the metal–semiconductor junction was noted by Hans Bethe. The Schröder–Bernstein theorem in set theory was first stated without proof by Georg Cantor and first proved by Richard Dedekind Shuey's equation from 1985, which is an approximation of the Zoeprittz Equation first published in 1919. Simpson's paradox, a term introduced by Colin R. Blyth in 1972; but Edward Simpson did


id: strong-inference-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strong_inference-0.md
category: reference
title: Strong inference
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strong_inference
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:21.302231+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: strong-inference-20260505-0
summary:
In philosophy of science, strong inference is a model of scientific inquiry that emphasizes the need for alternative hypotheses, rather than a single hypothesis to avoid confirmation bias. The term "strong inference" was coined by John R. Platt, a biophysicist at the University of Chicago. Platt notes that some fields, such as molecular biology and high-energy physics, seem to adhere strongly to strong inference, with very beneficial results for the rate of progress in those fields. == The single hypothesis problem == The problem with single hypotheses, confirmation bias, was aptly described by Thomas Chrowder Chamberlin in 1897: The moment one has offered an original explanation for a phenomenon which seems satisfactory, that moment affection for [one’s] intellectual child springs into existence, and as the explanation grows into a definite theory [one’s] parental affections cluster about [the] offspring and it grows more and more dear .... There springs up also unwittingly a pressing of the theory to make it fit the facts and a pressing of the facts to make them fit the theory... The temptation to misinterpret results that contradict the desired hypothesis is probably irresistible. Despite the admonitions of Platt, reviewers of grant-applications often require "A Hypothesis" as


id: structuralism-philosophy-of-science-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structuralism_(philosophy_of_science)-0.md
category: reference
title: Structuralism (philosophy of science)
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structuralism_(philosophy_of_science)
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:22.643026+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: structuralism-philosophy-of-science-20260505-0
summary:
In the philosophy of science, structuralism (also known as scientific structuralism or as the structuralistic theory-concept) asserts that all aspects of reality are best understood in terms of empirical scientific constructs of entities and their relations, rather than in terms of concrete entities in themselves. == Overview == Structuralism is an active research program in the philosophy of science, which was first developed in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s by several analytic philosophers. As an instance of structuralism, the concept of matter should be interpreted not as an absolute property of nature in itself, but instead of how scientifically grounded mathematical relations describe how the concept of matter interacts with other properties, whether that be in a broad sense such as the gravitational fields that mass-produces or more empirically as how matter interacts with sense systems of the body to produce sensations such as weight. Structuralism's aim is to comprise all important aspects of an empirical theory in one formal framework. The proponents of this meta-theoretic theory are Frederick Suppe, Patrick Suppes, Ronald Giere, Joseph D. Sneed, Wolfgang Stegmüller, Carlos Ulises Moulines, Wolfgang Balzer, John Worrall, Elie Georges Zahar, Pablo Lorenzano, Otávio Bueno, Anjan Chakravartty, Tian Yu Cao,


id: structuralism-philosophy-of-science-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structuralism_(philosophy_of_science)-1.md
category: reference
title: Structuralism (philosophy of science)
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structuralism_(philosophy_of_science)
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:22.643026+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: structuralism-philosophy-of-science-20260505-0
summary:
=== Ontic structural realism === While ESR claims that only the structure of reality is knowable, ontic structural realism (OSR) goes further to claim that structure is all there is. In this view, reality has no "nature" underlying its observed structure. Rather, reality is fundamentally structural, though variants of OSR disagree on precisely which aspects of structure are primitive. OSR is strongly motivated by modern physics, particularly quantum field theory, which undermines intuitive notions of identifiable objects with intrinsic properties. Some early quantum physicists held this view, including Hermann Weyl (1931), Ernst Cassirer (1936), and Arthur Eddington (1939). Recently, OSR has been called "the most fashionable ontological framework for modern physics". Max Tegmark takes this concept even further with the mathematical universe hypothesis, which proposes that, if our universe is only a particular structure, then it is no more real than any other structure. == Definition of structure == In mathematical logic, a mathematical structure is a standard concept. A mathematical structure is a set of abstract entities with relations between them. The natural numbers under arithmetic constitute a structure, with relations such as "is evenly divisible by" and "is greater than". Here the relation "is greater than" includes the


id: suspension-of-judgment-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspension_of_judgment-0.md
category: reference
title: Suspension of judgment
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspension_of_judgment
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:23.829938+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: suspension-of-judgment-20260505-0
summary:
Suspended judgment is a cognitive process and a rational state of mind in which one withholds judgments, particularly on the drawing of moral or ethical conclusions. The opposite of suspension of judgment is premature judgement, usually shortened to prejudice. While prejudgment involves drawing a conclusion or making a judgment before having the information relevant to such a judgment, suspension of judgment involves waiting for all the facts before making a decision. == Law == Suspension of judgment is used in civil law to indicate a court's decision to nullify a civil judgment. Motions to set aside judgments entered in civil cases in the United States district courts are governed by Rule 60 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure which opens with the statement, "On motion and just terms, the court may relieve a party or its legal representative from a final judgment, order, or proceeding...". The rule is quite straightforward and court room application is mostly as stated. In the New York Law Journal David Bliven argues that suspended judgement ought to be an alternative disposition in family offenses (a type of civil case), particularly in cases where a family judgement is being used as behavior modification rather than


id: testability-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Testability-0.md
category: reference
title: Testability
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Testability
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:25.025771+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: testability-20260505-0
summary:
Testability is a primary aspect of science and the scientific method. There are two components to testability: Falsifiability or defeasibility, which means that counterexamples to the hypothesis are logically possible. The practical feasibility of observing a reproducible series of such counterexamples if they do exist. In short, a hypothesis is testable if there is a possibility of deciding whether it is true or false based on experimentation by anyone. This allows anyone to decide whether a theory can be supported or refuted by data. However, the interpretation of experimental data may be also inconclusive or uncertain. Karl Popper introduced the concept that scientific knowledge had the property of falsifiability as published in The Logic of Scientific Discovery. == See also == Confirmability Controllability Observability Scientific method Test method == Further reading == == References ==


id: twyman-s-law-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twyman's_law-0.md
category: reference
title: Twyman's law
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twyman's_law
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:26.280989+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: twyman-s-law-20260505-0
summary:
Twyman's law states that "Any figure that looks interesting or different is usually wrong", following the principle that "the more unusual or interesting the data, the more likely they are to have been the result of an error of one kind or another". It is named after the media and market researcher Tony Twyman and has been described as one of the most important laws of data analysis. The law is based on the fact that errors in data measurement and analysis can lead to observed quantities that are wildly different from typical values. These errors are usually more common than real changes of similar magnitude in the underlying process being measured. For example, if an analyst at a software company notices that the number of users has doubled overnight, the most likely explanation is a bug in logging, rather than a true increase in users. The law can also be extended to situations where the underlying data is influenced by unexpected factors that differ from what was intended to be measured. For example, when schools show unusually large improvements in test scores, subsequent investigation often reveals that those scores were driven by fraud. == See also == Extraordinary claims


id: violation-paradigm-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violation_paradigm-0.md
category: reference
title: Violation paradigm
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violation_paradigm
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:38.826382+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: violation-paradigm-20260505-0
summary:
A violation paradigm is a scientific method where the scientist perturbs an expected factor to look at the subject's following reactions. These reactions are believed to be relevant to the process studied. For example, creating wrong word segmentations in a text will destabilize the reader. This warns the researcher that the respondent's brain considers the characters are united into words, and not just as a succession of given sets of letters. The process was originally developed by Danks, Bohn & Fear (1983), and proved valid (Chen 1999). == See also == Danks, Bohn, Fear (1983), Comprehension processes in oral reading, The process of language understanding, pp. 193–223. Chen, H.-C. (1999), "How do readers of Chinese process words during reading for comprehension ?", Reading Chinese Script: A Cognitive Analysis, Routledge, pp. 257–278, ISBN 9780805824780


id: why-most-published-research-findings-are-false-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_Most_Published_Research_Findings_Are_False-0.md
category: reference
title: Why Most Published Research Findings Are False
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_Most_Published_Research_Findings_Are_False
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:40.049921+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: why-most-published-research-findings-are-false-20260505-0
summary:
"Why Most Published Research Findings Are False" is a 2005 essay written by John Ioannidis, a professor at the Stanford School of Medicine, and published in PLOS Medicine. It is considered foundational to the field of metascience. In the paper, Ioannidis argued that a large number, if not the majority, of published medical research papers contain results that cannot be replicated. In simple terms, the essay states that scientists use hypothesis testing to determine whether scientific discoveries are significant. Statistical significance is formalized in terms of probability, with its p-value measure being reported in the scientific literature as a screening mechanism. Ioannidis posited assumptions about the way people perform and report these tests; then he constructed a statistical model which indicates that most published findings are likely false positive results. While the general arguments in the paper recommending reforms in scientific research methodology were well-received, Ionnidis received criticism for the validity of his model and his claim that the majority of scientific findings are false. Responses to the paper suggest lower false positive and false negative rates than what Ioannidis puts forth. == Argument == Suppose that in a given scientific field there is a known baseline probability that a


id: why-most-published-research-findings-are-false-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_Most_Published_Research_Findings_Are_False-1.md
category: reference
title: Why Most Published Research Findings Are False
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_Most_Published_Research_Findings_Are_False
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:40.049921+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: why-most-published-research-findings-are-false-20260505-0
summary:
== Reception == Despite skepticism about extreme statements made in the paper, Ioannidis's broader argument and warnings have been accepted by a large number of researchers. The growth of metascience and the recognition of a scientific replication crisis have bolstered the paper's credibility, and led to calls for methodological reforms in scientific research. In commentaries and technical responses, statisticians Goodman and Greenland identified several weaknesses in Ioannidis' model. Ioannidis's use of dramatic and exaggerated language that he "proved" that most research findings' claims are false and that "most research findings are false for most research designs and for most fields" [italics added] was rejected, and yet they agreed with his paper's conclusions and recommendations. Biostatisticians Jager and Leek criticized the model as being based on justifiable but arbitrary assumptions rather than empirical data, and did an investigation of their own which calculated that the false positive rate in biomedical studies was estimated to be around 14%, not over 50% as Ioannidis asserted. Their paper was published in a 2014 special edition of the journal Biostatistics along with extended, supporting critiques from other statisticians. Leek summarized the key points of agreement as: when talking about the science-wise false discovery rate one


id: woozle-effect-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woozle_effect-0.md
category: reference
title: Woozle effect
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woozle_effect
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:41.522778+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: woozle-effect-20260505-0
summary:
The Woozle effect, also known as evidence by citation, occurs when a source is widely cited for a claim that the source does not adequately support, giving said claim undeserved credibility. If results are not replicated and no one notices that a key claim was never well-supported in its original publication, faulty assumptions may affect further research. The Woozle effect is somewhat similar to circular reporting in journalism, where someone makes a questionable claim, and a journalist unthinkingly accepts the claim and republishes it without realizing its dubious and unreliable origins. In turn, other journalists and the public then continue to repeat and duplicate the unsupported claim. == Origin and definition == A Woozle is an imaginary character in the A. A. Milne book Winnie-the-Pooh, published in 1926. In chapter three, "In which Pooh and Piglet Go Hunting and Nearly Catch a Woozle", Winnie-the-Pooh and Piglet start following tracks left in snow believing they are the tracks of an imaginary animal called a woozle. The tracks keep multiplying until Christopher Robin explains to them that they have been following their own tracks in circles around a spinney. Prior to the introduction of the specific term "Woozle effect", the underlying concept


id: woozle-effect-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woozle_effect-1.md
category: reference
title: Woozle effect
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woozle_effect
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:41.522778+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: woozle-effect-20260505-0
summary:
== Examples == In 1980, Gelles illustrated the Woozle effect, showing how work by Gelles (1974) based on a small sample and published in The Violent Home by Straus, who had written the foreword for Gelles's book, was presented as if it applied to a large sample. Both of these were then cited by Langley & Levy in their 1977 book, Wife Beating: The Silent Crisis. In the 1998 book Intimate Violence, Gelles and Straus use the Winnie-the-Pooh woozle to illustrate how poor practice in research and self-referential research causes older research to be taken as fresh evidence causing error and bias. One notable example of the effect can be seen in citations of "Addiction Rare in Patients Treated with Narcotics", a letter to the editor by Jane Porter and Hershel Jick published by the New England Journal of Medicine in 1980. The letter, which was five sentences long and unlikely to have been peer reviewed according to a NEJM spokesperson, reported findings from analysis of medical records regarding the use of pain medication for hospital patients and concluded that "despite widespread use of narcotic drugs in hospitals, the development of addiction is rare in medical patients with no history


id: natural-history-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_history-0.md
category: reference
title: Natural history
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_history
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:43.333493+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: natural-history-20260505-0
summary:
Natural history is a domain of inquiry involving organisms, including animals, fungi, and plants, in their natural environment, leaning more towards observational than experimental methods of study. A person who studies natural history is called a naturalist or natural historian. Natural history encompasses scientific research but is not limited to it. It involves the systematic study of any category of natural objects or organisms, so while it dates from studies in the ancient Greco-Roman world and the medieval Arab world, through to European Renaissance naturalists working in near isolation, today's natural history is a cross-discipline umbrella of many specialty sciences; e.g., geobiology has a strong multidisciplinary nature. == Definitions == === Before 1900 === The meaning of the English term "natural history" (a calque of the Latin historia naturalis) has narrowed progressively with time, while, by contrast, the meaning of the related term "nature" has widened (see also History below). In antiquity, "natural history" covered essentially anything connected with nature, or used materials drawn from nature, such as Pliny the Elder's encyclopedia of this title, published c. 77 to 79 AD, which covers astronomy, geography, humans and their technology, medicine, and superstition, as well as animals and plants. Medieval European


id: natural-history-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_history-1.md
category: reference
title: Natural history
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_history
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:43.333493+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: natural-history-20260505-0
summary:
=== Prehistory === Prior to the advent of Western science, humans were engaged and highly competent in indigenous ways of understanding the more-than-human world that are now referred to as traditional ecological knowledge. 21st century definitions of natural history are inclusive of this understanding, such as this by Thomas Fleischner of the Natural History Institute (Prescott, Arizona): Natural history – a practice of intentional focused attentiveness and receptivity to the more-than-human world, guided by honesty and accuracy – is the oldest continuous human endeavor. In the evolutionary past of our species, the practice of natural history was essential for our survival, imparting critical information on habits and chronologies of plants and animals that we could eat or that could eat us. Natural history continues to be critical to human survival and thriving. It contributes to our fundamental understanding of how the world works by providing the empirical foundation of natural sciences, and it contributes directly and indirectly to human emotional and physical health, thereby fostering healthier human communities. It also serves as the basis for all conservation efforts, with natural history both informing the science and inspiring the values that drive these. === Ancient === As a precursor to Western


id: natural-history-20260505-2
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_history-2.md
category: reference
title: Natural history
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_history
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:43.333493+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: natural-history-20260505-0
summary:
Natural history museums, which evolved from cabinets of curiosities, played an important role in the emergence of professional biological disciplines and research programs. Particularly in the 19th century, scientists began to use their natural history collections as teaching tools for advanced students and the basis for their own morphological research. == Societies == The term "natural history" alone, or sometimes together with archaeology, forms the name of many national, regional, and local natural history societies that maintain records for animals—including birds (ornithology), insects (entomology) and mammals (mammalogy)—fungi (mycology), plants (botany), and other organisms. They may also have geological and microscopical sections. Examples of these societies in Britain include the Natural History Society of Northumbria founded in 1829, London Natural History Society (1858), Birmingham Natural History Society (1859), British Entomological and Natural History Society founded in 1872, Glasgow Natural History Society, Manchester Microscopical and Natural History Society established in 1880, Whitby Naturalists' Club founded in 1913, Scarborough Field Naturalists' Society and the Sorby Natural History Society, Sheffield, founded in 1918. The growth of natural history societies was also spurred due to the growth of British colonies in tropical regions with numerous new species to be discovered. Many civil servants took an


id: list-of-natural-history-dealers-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_natural_history_dealers-0.md
category: reference
title: List of natural history dealers
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_natural_history_dealers
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:44.538558+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: list-of-natural-history-dealers-20260505-0
summary:
Natural history specimen dealers had an important role in the development of science in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. They supplied the rapidly growing, both in size and number, museums and educational establishments and private collectors whose collections, either in entirety or parts finally entered museums. Most sold not just zoological, botanical and geological specimens but also equipment and books. Many also sold archaeological and ethnographic items. They purchased specimens from professional and amateur collectors, sometimes collected themselves as well as acting as agents for the sale of collections. Many were based in mercantile centres notably Amsterdam, Hamburg, and London or in major cities. Some were specialists and some were taxonomic authorities who wrote scientific works and manuals, some functioned as trading museums or institutes. This is a list of natural history dealers from the 16th to the 19th century: here are names that are frequently encountered in museum collections. Johan Hans Abegg (fl. 1882–1885) Mineral collector and dealer in Zurich. Augustus Theodore Abel (?1802-1882); German Mineral dealer resident in Ballarat. Anton Franz Abraham Preparator and dealer in educational materials at " "Naturhistorisches Institut" on Beatrixgasse, Vienna, 1896, on Ungargasse, Vienna in 1903–1906.Supplied specimens to Archduke Franz Ferdinand.


id: list-of-natural-history-dealers-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_natural_history_dealers-1.md
category: reference
title: List of natural history dealers
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_natural_history_dealers
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:44.538558+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: list-of-natural-history-dealers-20260505-0
summary:
Edmund Reitter "Natural History Institute" 1879 -1880 Vienna, 1881-1891 Mödling, after 1891 Paskau and Munich (extant). Carl Ribbe Heinrich Ribbe (1832–1898) Entomologist and dealer in Berlin Hermann Rolle Berlin William Frederick Henry Rosenberg (1868–1957) 57 Haverstock Hill, London fl. 1920s. Claimed to hold 5,000 bird species as scientific skins (and to be the largest bird skin dealership in the world). Supplier to museums and private collectors. Traveller. Emil Adolf Rossmässler Natural History dealer Karl Rost Fritz Rühl Auguste Sallé L.W. Schaufuß else E. Klocke, Dresden Christian Julius Wilhelm Schiede Wilhelm Schlüter Gustav Schneider (1867–1958) Basel Gustav Schrader Wilhelm Schlüter Abraham Scrivener (fl. 1840s) naturalist and merchant with a shop at Deptford Bridge, Greenwich. Paul Smart Southwick & Jencks’ Natural History Store Providence, Rhode Island Otto Staudinger Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn Marine specimens. Wilh. Steeg "Dr. Steeg & Reuter" after 1879. Crystallographic microscope slides. Alexandre Stuer(fl. 1890s-1920?) Paris mineral dealer. Owner of Comptoir Géologique et Minéralogique, 40, rue de Mathurins and at 4, rue de Castellane. John Crace Stevens Covent Gardens auctioneer. Emanuel Sweerts (1552–1612) Dutch merchant and natural history dealer. Rudolf Tancré (1842–1934) Anklam, Pomerania Dealer in Lepidoptera mainly of Central Asia and Siberia. Georg Thorey - Hamburg pharmacist and


id: affinity-taxonomy-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affinity_(taxonomy)-0.md
category: reference
title: Affinity (taxonomy)
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affinity_(taxonomy)
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:45.754091+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: affinity-taxonomy-20260505-0
summary:
Affinity (taxonomy) – mainly in life sciences or natural history – refers to resemblance suggesting a common descent, phylogenetic relationship, or type. The term does, however, have broader application, such as in geology (for example, in descriptive and theoretical works), and similarly in astronomy (for example, see "Centaur object" in the context of 2060 Chiron's close affinity with icy comet nuclei.) == Basis == In taxonomy the basis of any particular type of classification is the way in which objects in the domain resemble each other. A resemblance of a type that seems appropriate to the classification that we propose, we may call an affinity, and when we decide how to classify say, a specimen of rock or butterfly, we justify our decision according to the affinities that we observe. Other resemblances we dismiss as being out of context or at least non-cogent; for example, in deciding whether to classify a lizard as having closer affinities to a snake than to a table, biologists rely on affinities such as the scales, blood, physiology, vertebral anatomy, and reproductive system as being more relevant than the possession of four "feet". == Application and obstacles == Analysing and determining the proper classification of


id: alfred-russel-wallace-centenary-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Russel_Wallace_centenary-0.md
category: reference
title: Alfred Russel Wallace centenary
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Russel_Wallace_centenary
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:47.023875+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: alfred-russel-wallace-centenary-20260505-0
summary:
The centenary of the death of the naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace on 7 November 1913 was marked in 2013 with events around the world to celebrate his life and work. The commemorations was co-ordinated by the Natural History Museum, London. Events between October 2013 and June 2014 were planned by the Natural History Museum and other organisations including the Zoological Society of London, Cardiff University, the University of Alberta, Dorset County Museum, Swansea Museum, Dorset Wildlife Trust, Ness Botanical Gardens (South Wirral), the Royal Society, the Linnean Society, the Harvard Museum of Natural History, the American Museum of Natural History, Hertford Museum and the National Museum of Wales. == Context == The naturalist, explorer, geographer, anthropologist and biologist Alfred Russel Wallace (born 8 January 1823) died on 7 November 1913. He is principally remembered now for having independently conceived the theory of evolution through natural selection, which prompted Charles Darwin to publish On the Origin of Species. Some of his books such as The Malay Archipelago remain in print; it is considered one of the best accounts of scientific exploration published during the 19th century. Wallace is also remembered for recognizing the presence of a biogeographical boundary, now known as


id: botanical-expedition-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botanical_expedition-0.md
category: reference
title: Botanical expedition
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botanical_expedition
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:48.362768+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: botanical-expedition-20260505-0
summary:
A botanical expedition (sometimes called "Plant hunting") is a scientific voyage designed to explore the flora of a particular region, either as a specific design or part of a larger expedition. A naturalist or botanist would be responsible for identification, description and collection of specimens. In some cases the plants might be collected by the person in the field, but described and named by a government sponsored scientist at a botanical garden or university. For example, species collected on the Lewis and Clark Expedition were described and named by Frederick Traugott Pursh. While accounts of plant collection occur in antiquity, a scientific basis occurred during the Renaissance and was associated with the establishment of botanical gardens and the teaching of botany as a discipline. The practice of botanical expeditions reached a peak in the late 18th and during the 19th century with the systematic organisation of plants into taxonomic classifications. Plant collection has attracted a number of criticisms of exploitation and colonialism leading to the establishment of international regulations and safeguards. == Description == Botanical expeditions have often been referred to as "plant hunting" (or less commonly "botanomania"). They are mainly scientific journeys or voyages designed to explore the flora


id: conservation-and-restoration-of-insect-specimens-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservation_and_restoration_of_insect_specimens-0.md
category: reference
title: Conservation and restoration of insect specimens
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservation_and_restoration_of_insect_specimens
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:49.658173+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: conservation-and-restoration-of-insect-specimens-20260505-0
summary:
The conservation and restoration of insect specimens is the process of caring for and preserving insects as a part of a collection. Conservation concerns begin at collection and continue through preparation, storage, examination, documentation, research and treatment when restoration is needed. == Collection == Insect collecting can be done in many different ways depending on the kind of insects being collected and from which habitats. Both hobbyists and professional entomologist have found particular ways to collect with minimal damage to their specimens. Following established techniques helps begin the conservation of insect specimens from the beginning by eliminating as much potential damage as possible. It must be done delicately to ensure that neither the collector nor the live insect itself will cause harm to the distinctive features such as wings, legs and antennae that give purpose to the collection. Special collection nets, traps and techniques must be utilized in consideration of how easily breakage can happen. A kill jar is often used to immediately immobilize the insect before it can damage itself. == Preparation == The way an insect specimen is prepared is often the first step in their conservation. They have to be carefully prepared with the appropriate methods depending


id: conservation-and-restoration-of-insect-specimens-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservation_and_restoration_of_insect_specimens-1.md
category: reference
title: Conservation and restoration of insect specimens
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservation_and_restoration_of_insect_specimens
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:49.658173+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: conservation-and-restoration-of-insect-specimens-20260505-0
summary:
==== Safe handling ==== Proper handling for insect specimens prevents the excessive breaking of legs, antennae and other body parts that could then easily be lost. Curved forceps may be used to allow more precision and less chance of the brittle specimen coming in contact with the handler. The handler picks up the specimen by the pin, which is placed with enough space below the specimen for the handler to put in the pinning block and enough space above to grip without touching the specimen. ==== Integrated pest management ==== Integrated pest management (IPM) is a specialized modern pest control used in museums. All IPM systems begin with regular sanitation and monitoring of collections to detect castings from various pests, and checking insect traps laid out to capture and identify which pests are present. Some pests, such as carpet beetles and flour beetles, feed on dried insects. When an infestation is present, treatment may be necessary. Freezing is commonly used to rid insect collections of pests. Alternatively, inert gases may be used for an anoxic fumigation – depriving the pests of oxygen to exterminate, and in extreme cases chemical fumigation proven to be safe for collections and people may be


id: cymdeithas-edward-llwyd-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cymdeithas_Edward_Llwyd-0.md
category: reference
title: Cymdeithas Edward Llwyd
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cymdeithas_Edward_Llwyd
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:50.979654+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: cymdeithas-edward-llwyd-20260505-0
summary:
Cymdeithas Edward Llwyd (Welsh for 'Edward Llwyd Society') is a Welsh natural history organisation whose name commemorates the great Welsh natural historian, geographer and linguist Edward Llwyd (1660–1709). The Cymdeithas Edward Llwyd organises regular country walks throughout Wales in sites of interest of the Welsh environment, including SSSIs and post-industrial landscapes. These are Welsh-language walking groups, although learners are just as welcome. They also organise a variety of nature and environmental activities, including lectures, publications and conservation work. They have worked on collecting and documenting the names of natural species. In 2010, the society held a conference on Welsh toponymy, at which it was agreed to form the Welsh Place-Name Society. == References == == External links == Official site


id: field-guide-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field_guide-0.md
category: reference
title: Field guide
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field_guide
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:52.197836+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: field-guide-20260505-0
summary:
A field guide is a book designed to help the reader identify wildlife (flora or fauna or funga) or other objects of natural occurrence (e.g. rocks and minerals). It is generally designed to be brought into the "field" or local area where such objects exist to help distinguish between similar objects. Field guides are often designed to help users distinguish animals and plants that may be similar in appearance but are not necessarily closely related. It will typically include a description of the objects covered, together with paintings or photographs and an index. More serious and scientific field identification books, including those intended for students, will probably include identification keys to assist with identification, but the publicly accessible field guide is more often a browsable picture guide organized by family, colour, shape, location or other descriptors. == History == Popular interests in identifying things in nature probably were strongest in bird and plant guides. Perhaps the first popular field guide to plants in the United States was the 1893 How to Know the Wildflowers by "Mrs. William Starr Dana" (Frances Theodora Parsons). In 1890, Florence Merriam published Birds Through an Opera-Glass, describing 70 common species. Focused on living birds observed


id: flying-and-gliding-animals-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_and_gliding_animals-0.md
category: reference
title: Flying and gliding animals
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_and_gliding_animals
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:53.459168+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: flying-and-gliding-animals-20260505-0
summary:
A number of animals are capable of aerial locomotion, either by active flight, by passive gliding or, in rare occasions, by kiting/ballooning. Such animals typically have appendages that interact with air to generate lift in order to overcome the weight of their own body and any payload they are carrying (e.g. food/prey, nesting materials). Majority of flying and glide animals are terrestrial, while species from one extant taxon, i.e. the flying fish, are aquatic. The ability to fly or glide has appeared via convergent evolution many times throughout the history of life, and has evolved prominently in at least four terrestrial clades: insects, pterosaurs, birds and bats. Gliding and kiting, which are essentially controlled, prolonged free falls, have evolved on many more occasions, especially among arboreal species. Usually the aerial trait is to aid animals leaping directly across extended distances from one tree canopy to another without having to descend to the ground, which will otherwise expose them to risks from ground predators, although there are other reasons why aerial locomotions have developed. Gliding, in particular, has evolved among forest animals, especially in the rainforests in Asia (most especially Borneo) where the trees are tall (making it costly to descend


id: flying-and-gliding-animals-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_and_gliding_animals-1.md
category: reference
title: Flying and gliding animals
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_and_gliding_animals
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:53.459168+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: flying-and-gliding-animals-20260505-0
summary:
=== Gliding and parachuting === While gliding occurs independently from powered flight, it has some ecological advantages of its own as it is the simplest form of flight. Gliding is a very energy-efficient way of travelling from tree to tree. Although moving through the canopy running along the branches may be less energetically demanding, the faster transition between trees allows for greater foraging rates in a particular patch. Glide ratios can be dependent on size and current behavior. Higher foraging rates are supported by low glide ratios as smaller foraging patches require less gliding time over shorter distances and greater amounts of food can be acquired in a shorter time period. Low ratios are not as energy efficient as the higher ratios, but an argument made is that many gliding animals eat low energy foods such as leaves and are restricted to gliding because of this, whereas flying animals eat more high energy foods such as fruits, nectar, and insects. Mammals tend to rely on lower glide ratios to increase the amount of time foraging for lower energy food. An equilibrium glide, achieving a constant airspeed and glide angle, is harder to obtain as animal size increases. Larger animals need


id: flying-and-gliding-animals-20260505-2
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_and_gliding_animals-2.md
category: reference
title: Flying and gliding animals
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_and_gliding_animals
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:53.459168+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: flying-and-gliding-animals-20260505-0
summary:
Powered flight has evolved unambiguously only four times—birds, bats, pterosaurs, and insects (though see above for possible independent acquisitions within bird and bat groups). In contrast to gliding, which has evolved more frequently but typically gives rise to only a handful of species, all three extant groups of powered flyers have a huge number of species, suggesting that flight is a very successful strategy once evolved. Bats, after rodents, have the most species of any mammalian order, about 20% of all mammalian species. Birds have the most species of any class of terrestrial vertebrates. Finally, insects (most of which fly at some point in their life cycle) have more species than all other animal groups combined. The evolution of flight is one of the most striking and demanding in animal evolution, and has attracted the attention of many prominent scientists and generated many theories. Additionally, because flying animals tend to be small and have a low mass (both of which increase the surface-area-to-mass ratio), they tend to fossilize infrequently and poorly compared to the larger, heavier-boned terrestrial species they share habitat with. Fossils of flying animals tend to be confined to exceptional fossil deposits formed under highly specific circumstances, resulting


id: flying-and-gliding-animals-20260505-3
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_and_gliding_animals-3.md
category: reference
title: Flying and gliding animals
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_and_gliding_animals
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:53.459168+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: flying-and-gliding-animals-20260505-0
summary:
Unlike most air vehicles, in which the objects that generate lift (wings) and thrust (engine or propeller) are separate and the wings remain fixed, flying animals use their wings to generate both lift and thrust by moving them relative to the body. This has made the flight of organisms considerably harder to understand than that of vehicles, as it involves varying speeds, angles, orientations, areas, and flow patterns over the wings. A bird or bat flying through the air at a constant speed moves its wings up and down (usually with some fore-aft movement as well). Because the animal is in motion, there is some airflow relative to its body which, combined with the velocity of its wings, generates a faster airflow moving over the wing. This will generate lift force vector pointing forwards and upwards, and a drag force vector pointing rearwards and upwards. The upwards components of these counteract gravity, keeping the body in the air, while the forward component provides thrust to counteract both the drag from the wing and from the body as a whole. Pterosaur flight likely worked in a similar manner, though no living pterosaurs remain for study. Insect flight is considerably different, due


id: flying-and-gliding-animals-20260505-4
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_and_gliding_animals-4.md
category: reference
title: Flying and gliding animals
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_and_gliding_animals
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:53.459168+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: flying-and-gliding-animals-20260505-0
summary:
==== Most maneuverable glider ==== Many gliding animals have some ability to turn, but which is the most maneuverable is difficult to assess. Even paradise tree snakes, Chinese gliding frogs, and gliding ants have been observed as having considerable capacity to turn in the air. == Flying animals == === Extant === ==== Insects ==== Pterygota: The first of all animals to evolve flight, they are also the only invertebrates that have evolved flight. As they comprise almost all insects, the species are too numerous to list here. Insect flight is an active research field. ==== Birds ==== Birds (flying, soaring) – Most of the approximately 10,000 living species can fly (flightless birds are the exception). Bird flight is one of the most studied forms of aerial locomotion in animals. See List of soaring birds for birds that can soar as well as fly. ==== Mammals ==== Bats. There are approximately 1,240 bat species, representing about 20% of all classified mammal species. Most bats are nocturnal and many feed on insects while flying at night, using echolocation to home in on their prey. === Extinct === ==== Reptile: Pterosaurs ==== Pterosaurs were the first flying vertebrates, and are generally agreed


id: flying-and-gliding-animals-20260505-5
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_and_gliding_animals-5.md
category: reference
title: Flying and gliding animals
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_and_gliding_animals
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:53.459168+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: flying-and-gliding-animals-20260505-0
summary:
==== Fish ==== Flying fish. There are over 50 species of flying fish belonging to the family Exocoetidae. They are mostly marine fishes of small to medium size. The largest flying fish can reach lengths of 45 centimetres (18 in) but most species measure less than 30 cm (12 in) in length. They can be divided into two-winged varieties and four-winged varieties. Before the fish leaves the water it increases its speed to around 30 body lengths per second and as it breaks the surface and is freed from the drag of the water it can be traveling at around 60 kilometres per hour (37 mph). The glides are usually up to 30–50 metres (100–160 ft) in length, but some have been observed soaring for hundreds of metres using the updraft on the leading edges of waves. The fish can also make a series of glides, each time dipping the tail into the water to produce forward thrust. The longest recorded series of glides, with the fish only periodically dipping its tail in the water, was for 45 seconds (Video here). It has been suggested that the genus Exocoetus is on an evolutionary borderline between flight and gliding. It flaps


id: flying-and-gliding-animals-20260505-6
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_and_gliding_animals-6.md
category: reference
title: Flying and gliding animals
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_and_gliding_animals
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:53.459168+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: flying-and-gliding-animals-20260505-0
summary:
Flying squirrels (tribe pteromyini). There are more than 50 living species divided between 16 genera of flying squirrel. Flying squirrels are found in Asia (most species), North America (genus Glaucomys) and Europe (Siberian flying squirrel). They inhabit tropical, temperate, and Subarctic environments, with the Glaucomys preferring boreal and montane coniferous forests, specifically landing on red spruce (Picea rubens) trees as landing sites; they are known to rapidly climb trees, but take some time to locate a good landing spot. They tend to be nocturnal and are highly sensitive to light and noise. When a flying squirrel wishes to cross to a tree that is further away than the distance possible by jumping, it extends the cartilage spur on its elbow or wrist. This opens out the flap of furry skin (the patagium) that stretches from its wrist to its ankle. It glides spread-eagle and with its tail fluffed out like a parachute, and grips the tree with its claws when it lands. Flying squirrels have been reported to glide over 200 metres (660 ft). Anomalures or scaly-tailed flying squirrels (family Anomaluridae). These brightly coloured African rodents are not squirrels but have evolved to a resemble flying squirrels by convergent evolution.


id: flying-and-gliding-animals-20260505-7
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_and_gliding_animals-7.md
category: reference
title: Flying and gliding animals
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_and_gliding_animals
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:53.459168+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: flying-and-gliding-animals-20260505-0
summary:
== Further reading == Davenport, J. (1994). "How and why do flying fish fly?". Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries. 40 (2): 184–214. Bibcode:1994RFBF....4..184D. doi:10.1007/BF00044128. S2CID 34720887. Saidel, W.M.; Strain, G.F.; Fornari, S.K. (2004). "Characterization of the aerial escape response of the African butterfly fish, Pantodon buchholzi Peters". Environmental Biology of Fishes. 71 (1): 63–72. Bibcode:2004EnvBF..71...63S. doi:10.1023/b:ebfi.0000043153.38418.cd. S2CID 11856131. Xu, Xing; Zhou, Zhonghe; Wang, Xiaolin; Kuang, Xuewen; Zhang, Fucheng; Du, Xiangke (2003). "Four-winged dinosaurs from China" (PDF). Nature. 421 (6921): 335–340. Bibcode:2003Natur.421..335X. doi:10.1038/nature01342. PMID 12540892. S2CID 1160118. Schiøtz, A.; Vosloe, H. (1959). "The gliding flight of Holaspis guentheri Gray, a west-African lacertid". Copeia. 1959 (3): 259–260. doi:10.2307/1440407. JSTOR 1440407. Arnold, E. N. (2002). "Holaspis, a lizard that glided by accident: mosaics of cooption and adaptation in a tropical forest lacertid (Reptilia, Lacertidae. )". Bulletin of the Natural History Museum, Zoology Series. 68 (2): 155–163. doi:10.1017/s0968047002000171. S2CID 49552361. McGuire, J. A. (2003). "Allometric Prediction of Locomotor Performance: An Example from Southeast Asian Flying Lizards". The American Naturalist. 161 (2): 337–349. Bibcode:2003ANat..161..337M. doi:10.1086/346085. PMID 12675377. S2CID 29494470. Demes, B.; Forchap, E.; Herwig, H. (1991). "They seem to glide. Are there aerodynamic effects in leaping prosimian primates?". Zeitschrift für Morphologie und Anthropologie. 78


id: geologic-time-scale-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geologic_time_scale-0.md
category: reference
title: Geologic time scale
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geologic_time_scale
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:54.644606+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: geologic-time-scale-20260505-0
summary:
The geologic time scale or geological time scale describes how geologic time is divided into standardised intervals. It uses the rock record together with the principles of chronostratigraphy to place rock sequences into their relative age positions, and geochronology techniques, such as radiometric dating, to precisely date the boundaries between them. It is used primarily by Earth scientists (including geologists, paleontologists, geophysicists, geochemists, and paleoclimatologists) to describe the timing and relationships of events in geologic history. The time scale has been developed through the study of rock layers and the observation of their relationships and identifying features such as lithologies, paleomagnetic properties, and fossils. The definition of standardised international units of geological time is the responsibility of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS), a constituent body of the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS), whose primary objective is to precisely define global chronostratigraphic units of the International Chronostratigraphic Chart (ICC) that are used to define divisions of geological time. The chronostratigraphic divisions are in turn used to define geochronologic units. == Principles == The geologic time scale is a way of representing deep time based on events that have occurred throughout Earth's history, a time span of about 4.54 ±


id: geologic-time-scale-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geologic_time_scale-1.md
category: reference
title: Geologic time scale
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geologic_time_scale
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:54.644606+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: geologic-time-scale-20260505-0
summary:
=== Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) === Historically, regional geologic time scales were used due to the litho- and biostratigraphic differences around the world in time equivalent rocks. The ICS has long worked to reconcile conflicting terminology by standardising globally significant and identifiable stratigraphic horizons that can be used to define the lower boundaries of chronostratigraphic units. A Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) defines the lower boundary of a stage as being at a precise point in a specific rock succession in a particular geographic location. These reference points are known informally as "golden" spikes. All the beds above the spike belong to one time interval and all those below it to another. This allows beds of a similar age around the world to be correlated with the strata that contain the golden spike. For example, the iridium anomaly produced by the Chicxulub asteroid impact marks the lower boundary of the Paleogene System and thus the boundary between the Cretaceous and Paleogene. Whilst the GSSP is defined at Oued Djerfane in Tunisia, strata containing the iridium anomaly are found worldwide. The Proterozoic (apart from the Ediacaran), Archean and Hadean are subdivided by absolute ages (Global Standard


id: geologic-time-scale-20260505-2
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geologic_time_scale-2.md
category: reference
title: Geologic time scale
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geologic_time_scale
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:54.644606+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: geologic-time-scale-20260505-0
summary:
=== Early history === The most modern geological time scale was not formulated until 1911 by Arthur Holmes (1890 – 1965), who drew inspiration from James Hutton (1726–1797), a Scottish Geologist who presented the idea of uniformitarianism or the theory that changes to the Earth's crust resulted from continuous and uniform processes. The broader concept of the relation between rocks and time can be traced back to (at least) the philosophers of Ancient Greece from 1200 BC to 600 AD. Xenophanes of Colophon (c. 570–487 BCE) observed rock beds with fossils of seashells located above the sea-level, viewed them as once living organisms, and used this to imply an unstable relationship in which the sea had at times transgressed over the land and at other times had regressed. This view was shared by a few of Xenophanes's scholars and those that followed, including Aristotle (384–322 BC) who (with additional observations) reasoned that the positions of land and sea had changed over long periods of time. The concept of deep time was also recognized by Chinese naturalist Shen Kuo (1031–1095) and Islamic scientist-philosophers, notably the Brothers of Purity, who wrote on the processes of stratification over the passage of time in


id: geologic-time-scale-20260505-3
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geologic_time_scale-3.md
category: reference
title: Geologic time scale
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geologic_time_scale
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:54.644606+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: geologic-time-scale-20260505-0
summary:
Respectively, these are the principles of superposition, original horizontality, lateral continuity, and cross-cutting relationships. From this Steno reasoned that strata were laid down in succession and inferred relative time (in Steno's belief, time from Creation). While Steno's principles were simple and attracted much attention, applying them proved challenging. These basic principles, albeit with improved and more nuanced interpretations, still form the foundational principles of determining the correlation of strata relative to geologic time. Over the course of the 18th-century geologists realised that: Sequences of strata often become eroded, distorted, tilted, or even inverted after deposition Strata laid down at the same time in different areas could have entirely different appearances The strata of any given area represented only part of Earth's long history === Formulation of a modern geologic time scale === The apparent, earliest formal division of the geologic record with respect to time was introduced during the era of Biblical models by Thomas Burnet who applied a two-fold terminology to mountains by identifying "montes primarii" for rock formed at the time of the 'Deluge', and younger "monticulos secundarios" formed later from the debris of the "primarii". Anton Moro (1687–1784) also used primary and secondary divisions for rock units


id: geologic-time-scale-20260505-4
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geologic_time_scale-4.md
category: reference
title: Geologic time scale
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geologic_time_scale
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:54.644606+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: geologic-time-scale-20260505-0
summary:
=== Modern international geological time scale === The establishment of the IUGS in 1961 and acceptance of the Commission on Stratigraphy (applied in 1965) to become a member commission of IUGS led to the founding of the ICS. One of the primary objectives of the ICS is "the establishment, publication and revision of the ICS International Chronostratigraphic Chart which is the standard, reference global Geological Time Scale to include the ratified Commission decisions". Following on from Holmes, several A Geological Time Scale books were published in 1982, 1989, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020. However, since 2013, the ICS has taken responsibility for producing and distributing the ICC citing the commercial nature, independent creation, and lack of oversight by the ICS on the prior published GTS versions (GTS books prior to 2013) although these versions were published in close association with the ICS. Subsequent Geologic Time Scale books (2016 and 2020) are commercial publications with no oversight from the ICS, and do not entirely conform to the chart produced by the ICS. The ICS produced GTS charts are versioned (year/month) beginning at v2013/01. At least one new version is published each year incorporating any changes ratified by the ICS since


id: geologic-time-scale-20260505-5
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geologic_time_scale-5.md
category: reference
title: Geologic time scale
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geologic_time_scale
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:54.644606+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: geologic-time-scale-20260505-0
summary:
==== Van Kranendonk et al. 2012 (GTS2012) ==== The book, Geologic Time Scale 2012, was the last commercial publication of an international chronostratigraphic chart that was closely associated with the ICS and the Subcommission on Precambrian Stratigraphy. It included a proposal to substantially revise the pre-Cryogenian time scale to reflect important events such as the formation of the Solar System and the Great Oxidation Event, among others, while at the same time maintaining most of the previous chronostratigraphic nomenclature for the pertinent time span. As of April 2022 these proposed changes have not been accepted by the ICS. The proposed changes (changes from the current scale [v2023/09]) are italicised: Hadean Eon (4567–4030 Ma) Chaotian Era/Erathem (4567–4404 Ma) – the name alluding both to the mythological Chaos and the chaotic phase of planet formation. Jack Hillsian or Zirconian Era/Erathem (4404–4030 Ma) – both names allude to the Jack Hills Greenstone Belt which provided the oldest mineral grains on Earth, zircons. Archean Eon/Eonothem (4030–2420 Ma) Paleoarchean Era/Erathem (4030–3490 Ma) Acastan Period/System (4030–3810 Ma) – named after the Acasta Gneiss, one of the oldest preserved pieces of continental crust. Isuan Period/System (3810–3490 Ma) – named after the Isua Greenstone Belt. Mesoarchean Era/Erathem (3490–2780


id: geologic-time-scale-20260505-6
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geologic_time_scale-6.md
category: reference
title: Geologic time scale
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geologic_time_scale
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:54.644606+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: geologic-time-scale-20260505-0
summary:
== Further reading == Aubry, Marie-Pierre; Van Couvering, John A.; Christie-Blick, Nicholas; Landing, Ed; Pratt, Brian R.; Owen, Donald E.; Ferrusquia-Villafranca, Ismael (2009). "Terminology of geological time: Establishment of a community standard". Stratigraphy. 6 (2): 100–105. doi:10.7916/D8DR35JQ. Gradstein, Felix M.; Ogg, James G. (June 2004). "Geologic Time Scale 2004 – why, how, and where next!". Lethaia. 37 (2): 175–181. Bibcode:2004Letha..37..175G. doi:10.1080/00241160410006483. Gradstein, Felix M.; Ogg, James G.; Smith, Alan G., eds. (2005). A Geologic Time Scale 2004. doi:10.1017/CBO9780511536045. ISBN 978-0-521-78673-7. Gradstein, Felix M.; Ogg, James G.; Smith, Alan G.; Bleeker, Wouter; Laurens, Lucas, J. (June 2004). "A new Geologic Time Scale, with special reference to Precambrian and Neogene". Episodes. 27 (2): 83–100. doi:10.18814/epiiugs/2004/v27i2/002. CORE output ID 11773078.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) Ialenti, Vincent (28 September 2014). "Embracing 'Deep Time' Thinking". NPR. NPR Cosmos & Culture. Ialenti, Vincent (21 September 2014). "Pondering 'Deep Time' Could Inspire New Ways To View Climate Change". NPR. NPR Cosmos & Culture. Knoll, Andrew H.; Walter, Malcolm R.; Narbonne, Guy M.; Christie-Blick, Nicholas (30 July 2004). "A New Period for the Geologic Time Scale". Science. 305 (5684): 621–622. doi:10.1126/science.1098803. PMID 15286353. Levin, Harold L. (2010). "Time and Geology". The Earth Through Time.


id: humboldtian-science-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humboldtian_science-0.md
category: reference
title: Humboldtian science
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humboldtian_science
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:56.922582+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: humboldtian-science-20260505-0
summary:
Humboldtian science refers to a movement in science in the 19th century closely connected to the work and writings of German scientist, naturalist, and explorer Alexander von Humboldt. It maintained a certain ethics of precision and observation, which combined scientific field work with the sensitivity and aesthetic ideals of the age of Romanticism. Like Romanticism in science, it was rather popular in the 19th century. The term was coined by Susan Faye Cannon in 1978. The example of Humboldt's life and his writings allowed him to reach out beyond the academic community with his natural history and address a wider audience with popular science aspects. It has supplanted the older Baconian method, related as well to a single person, Francis Bacon. == Brief biography == Humboldt was born in Berlin in 1769 and worked as a Prussian mining official in the 1790s until 1797 when he quit and began collecting scientific knowledge and equipment. His extensive wealth aided his infatuation with the spirit of Romanticism; he amassed an extensive collection of scientific instruments and tools as well as a sizeable library. In 1799 Humboldt, under the protection of King Charles IV of Spain, left for South America and New Spain,


id: humboldtian-science-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humboldtian_science-1.md
category: reference
title: Humboldtian science
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humboldtian_science
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:56.922582+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: humboldtian-science-20260505-0
summary:
insistence on accuracy for all scientific instruments and observations; a mental sophistication in which theoretical mechanisms and entities of past science were taken lightly; a new set of conceptual tools, including isomaps, graphs, and a theory of errors; the application of accuracy, mental sophistication, and tools not to isolated science in laboratories, but to greatly variable real phenomena. == Humboldt's "terrestrial physicist" == Humboldt was committed to what he called 'terrestrial physics.' Essentially Humboldt's new scientific approach required a new type of scientist: Humboldtian science demanded a transition from the naturalist to the physicist. Humboldt described how his idea of terrestrial physics differs from traditional "descriptive" natural history when he stated, "[traveling naturalists] have neglected to track the great and constant laws of nature manifested in the rapid flux of phenomena…and to trace the reciprocal interaction of the divided physical forces." Humboldt did not consider himself an explorer, but rather a scientific traveler, who accurately measured what explorers had reported inaccurately. According to Humboldt, the goal of the terrestrial physicist was to investigate the confluence and interweaving of all physical forces. An incredibly extensive array of precise instrumentation had to be readily available for Humboldt's terrestrial physicist. The expansive amount


id: humboldtian-science-20260505-2
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humboldtian_science-2.md
category: reference
title: Humboldtian science
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humboldtian_science
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:56.922582+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: humboldtian-science-20260505-0
summary:
== Transformation of Humboldtian science == Ralph Waldo Emerson once dubbed Humboldt to be "one of those wonders of the world… who appear from time to time, as if to show us the possibilities of the human mind." When Humboldt first began his studies of organisms and the environment he claimed that he wanted to "reorganize the general connections that link organic beings and to study the great harmonies of Nature". He is often considered one of the world's first genuine ecologists. Humboldt succeeded in developing a comprehensive science that joined the separate branches of natural philosophy under a model of natural order founded on the concept of dynamic equilibrium. Humboldt's work reached far beyond his personal expeditions and discoveries. Figures from all across the globe participated on his work. Some such participants included French naval officers, East India Company physicians, Russian provincial administrators, Spanish military commanders, and German diplomats. As was mentioned previously, Charles Darwin carried a copy of Humboldt's Personal Narrative aboard H.M.S. Beagle. Humboldt's projects, particularly those related to natural philosophy, played a significant role in the influx of European money and travelers to Spanish America in increasing numbers in the early 19th century. Sir Edward Sabine,


id: insect-collecting-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insect_collecting-0.md
category: reference
title: Insect collecting
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insect_collecting
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:58.244249+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: insect-collecting-20260505-0
summary:
Insect collecting refers to the collection of insects and other arthropods for scientific study or as a hobby. Most insects are small and the majority cannot be identified without the examination of minute morphological characters, so entomologists often make and maintain insect collections. Very large collections are preserved in natural history museums or universities where they are maintained and studied by specialists. Many college courses require students to form small collections. There are also amateur entomologists and collectors who keep collections. Historically, insect collecting has been widespread and was in the Victorian age a very popular educational hobby. Insect collecting has left traces in European cultural history, literature and songs, e.g., Georges Brassens's La chasse aux papillons (The Hunt for Butterflies). The practice is particularly common among Japanese youths. == Capture and kill techniques == Insects may be passively caught using traps such as funnels, pitfall traps, bottle traps, malaise traps, or flight interception traps, some of which are baited with small bits of sweet foods (such as honey). Entomologists collecting nocturnal insects (especially moths) during faunistic survey studies might utilize ultraviolet light traps such as the Robinson trap. Aspirators, sometimes called "pooters", suck up insects too small or delicate


id: insect-collecting-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insect_collecting-1.md
category: reference
title: Insect collecting
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insect_collecting
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:58.244249+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: insect-collecting-20260505-0
summary:
Direct pinning. Direct pinning is the insertion of an entomological pin directly through the thorax of a specimen. The insects are pinned vertically through the thorax with a suitably sized pin, but by convention they are not pinned on the midline, but to the right, so as to leave at least one side undamaged. Point. A point is a triangular piece of white card. Specially designed point punches permit the production of large numbers of points of standard sizes as required. To use a point, a pin is inserted through the broad base of the triangle. To mount the specimen, a tiny amount of glue is placed on the tip and applied to the right side of the insect's thorax. If appropriate the tip of the point may be bent at the necessary angle to hold the body of the specimen horizontal when the pin is vertical, with the long axis of the insect at right angles to the point. Minuten pins. Insect pins without heads, 12mm long. They are used for double mounting (staging) very small insects. They also may be used profitably for staging insects of moderate size, where they have the advantage of being less damaging to


id: list-of-natural-history-articles-by-gerard-krefft-in-the-sydney-mail-20260505-0
category: reference
title: List of Natural History articles by Gerard Krefft in The Sydney Mail
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Natural_History_articles_by_Gerard_Krefft_in_The_Sydney_Mail
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:29:59.450148+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: list-of-natural-history-articles-by-gerard-krefft-in-the-sydney-mail-20260505-0
file:
data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Natural_History_articles_by_Gerard_Krefft_in_The_Sydney_Mail-0.md

summary:
Johann Ludwig (Louis) Gerard Krefft (1830 – 1881), one of Australia's first and most influential zoologists and palaeontologists, was an artist, draughtsman, scientist, and natural historian who served as the curator of the Australian Museum, in Sydney, New South Wales, for 13 years (1861–1874). The following is a list of Krefft's articles that were regularly published in the "Natural History" Section of The Sydney Mail between 4 March 1871 and 26 June 1875. Although a small number of relevant items written by others appeared in The Sydney Mail's "Natural History" section from time to time — e.g., John William Brazier (2 March 1872), George Bennett (9 August 1873), Georgen Mivart (7 March 1874), "Anonymous" (16 May 1874), etc. — the section's very first article was Krefft's 4 March 1871 contribution, and its very last was Krefft's 26 June 1875 contribution: == See also == Krefft's "Natural History" articles in The Sydney Mail


id: kunstformen-der-natur-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunstformen_der_Natur-0.md
category: reference
title: Kunstformen der Natur
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunstformen_der_Natur
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:00.723589+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: kunstformen-der-natur-20260505-0
summary:
Kunstformen der Natur (known in English as Art Forms in Nature) is a book of lithographic and halftone prints by German biologist Ernst Haeckel. == Publication == Originally published in sets of ten between 1899 and 1904 and collectively in two volumes in 1904, it consists of 100 prints of various organisms, many of which were first described by Haeckel himself. Over the course of his career, over 1000 prints were produced based on Haeckel's sketches and watercolors; many of the best of these were chosen for Kunstformen der Natur, translated from sketch to print by lithographer Adolf Giltsch. A second edition of Kunstformen, containing only 30 prints, was produced in 1914. == Themes == According to Haeckel scholar Olaf Breidbach, the work was "not just a book of illustrations but also the summation of his view of the world." The over-riding themes of the Kunstformen plates are symmetry and level of organization. The subjects were selected to embody these to the full, from the scale patterns of boxfishes to the spirals of ammonites to the perfect symmetries of jellies and microorganisms, while images composing each plate are arranged for maximum visual impact. Among the notable prints are numerous radiolarians,


id: list-of-parson-naturalists-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_parson-naturalists-0.md
category: reference
title: List of parson-naturalists
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_parson-naturalists
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:01.898935+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: list-of-parson-naturalists-20260505-0
summary:
Parson-naturalists were ministers of religion who also studied natural history. The archetypical parson-naturalist was a priest in the Church of England in charge of a country parish, who saw the study of science as an extension of his religious work. The philosophy entailed the belief that God, as the Creator of all things, wanted man to understand his Creations and thus to study them through scientific techniques. They often collected and preserved natural artefacts such as leaves, flowers, birds' eggs, birds, insects, and small mammals to classify and study. Some wrote books or kept nature diaries. == Parson-naturalists == == See also == List of Christian thinkers in science Science in the Age of Enlightenment == References == == Bibliography == Armstrong, Patrick (2000). The English Parson-naturalist: A Companionship Between Science and Religion. Gracewing Publishing. ISBN 978-0-85244-516-7.


id: marine-counterparts-of-land-creatures-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_counterparts_of_land_creatures-0.md
category: reference
title: Marine counterparts of land creatures
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_counterparts_of_land_creatures
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:03.121716+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: marine-counterparts-of-land-creatures-20260505-0
summary:
The idea that there are specific marine counterparts to land creatures, inherited from the writers on natural history in Antiquity, was firmly believed in Islam and in Medieval Europe. It is exemplified by the creatures represented in the medieval animal encyclopedias called bestiaries, and in the parallels drawn in the moralising attributes attached to each. "The creation was a mathematical diagram drawn in parallel lines," T. H. White said a propos the bestiary he translated. "Things did not only have a moral they often had physical counterparts in other strata. There was a horse in the land and a sea-horse in the sea. For that matter there was probably a Pegasus in heaven". The idea of perfect analogies in the fauna of land and sea was considered part of the perfect symmetry of the Creator's plan, offered as the "book of nature" to mankind, for which a text could be found in Job: But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that


id: natural-history-of-australia-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_history_of_Australia-0.md
category: reference
title: Natural history of Australia
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_history_of_Australia
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:04.304247+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: natural-history-of-australia-20260505-0
summary:
The natural history of Australia has been shaped by the geological evolution of the Australian continent from Gondwana and the changes in global climate over geological time. The building of the Australian continent and its association with other land masses, as well as climate changes over geological time, have created the unique flora and fauna present in Australia today. There are many species of flora and fauna that are unique to Australia, and do not exist in any other part of the world. The natural history of Australia begins with rock formation, followed by geological development, life evolution, and continues to change today. == Precambrian == Three areas of the Australian landmass that are made of Archaean rocks are more than 2.5 billion years old, among the oldest known rocks. These igneous and metamorphic rocks are found in the Yilgarn (West) and Pilbara (North) cratons in today's Western Australia and the Gawler (South) craton which makes up the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. During the Proterozoic, 2,500 to 545 Ma, continent building took place around the existing cratons; the accretions include sedimentary deposition of the banded iron formations and the formation of Australia's major orebodies – sources of gold, copper,


id: natural-history-of-australia-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_history_of_Australia-1.md
category: reference
title: Natural history of Australia
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_history_of_Australia
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:04.304247+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: natural-history-of-australia-20260505-0
summary:
During the Carboniferous glaciation, erosion by ice extended into the Early Permian. Crustal extension and subsidence around 295 Ma formed shallow basins in which thick coal deposits were formed. During the Mesozoic, when the Earth became much warmer, 251 to 140 Ma, the Australian landmass was covered with riverine plains. Humid conditions allowed the formation of peatlands, particularly in the east. Dinosaurs, reptiles and primitive mammals were present in Australia. Between 140 and 99 Ma, sea levels rose, and much of the continent was covered. In the same period (between 120 and 105 Ma), there was more volcanism in eastern Australia, leading to uplift creating the Tasman Sea to the southeast and the Coral Sea to the north. The earliest land plants preserved in Australia occur in deposits from the Upper Silurian and the Lower Devonian in marine sediments in Victoria, named the Baragwanathia Assemblage for its most prominent element, the simple vascular plant the lycopod Baragwanathia. The assemblage also included Rhyniophyta, Zosterophyllophyta, and Trimerophyta in addition to other lycopods. All these plants were herbaceous, coastal and required an aqueous environment for reproduction. During the Devonian the first shrub-sized to tree-sized lycopods appeared in Australia and Antarctica; they dominated the


id: nature-center-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature_center-0.md
category: reference
title: Nature center
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature_center
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:05.519588+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: nature-center-20260505-0
summary:
A nature center (or nature centre) is an organization with a visitor center or interpretive center designed to educate people about nature and the environment. Usually in a protected open space, nature centers often have trails through their property. Some are in a state or city park, and some have special gardens or an arboretum. Their properties can be characterized as nature preserves and wildlife sanctuaries. Nature centers generally display small live animals, such as reptiles, rodents, insects, or fish. There are often museum exhibits and displays about natural history, or preserved mounted animals or nature dioramas. Nature centers are staffed by paid or volunteer naturalists and most offer educational programs to the general public, as well as summer camp, after-school and school group programs. These educational programs teach people about nature conservation as well as the scientific method, biology, and ecology. Some nature centers allow free admission but collect voluntary donations in order to help offset expenses. They usually rely on support from volunteers. Environmental education centers differ from nature centers in that their museum exhibits and education programs are available mostly by appointment, although casual visitors may be allowed to walk on their grounds. Some city, state and


id: nature-writing-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature_writing-0.md
category: reference
title: Nature writing
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature_writing
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:06.751729+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: nature-writing-20260505-0
summary:
Nature writing is nonfiction or fiction prose about the natural environment. It often draws heavily from scientific information and facts while also incorporating philosophical reflection upon various aspects of nature. Works are frequently written in the first person and include personal observations. Nature writing encompasses a wide variety of works, ranging from those that place primary emphasis on natural history (such as field guides) to those focusing on philosophical interpretation. It includes poetry, essays of solitude or escape, as well as travel and adventure writing. Modern-day nature writing traces its roots to works of natural history that initially gained popularity in the second half of the 18th century, and continued to do so throughout the 19th century. An important early figure in nature writing was the parson-naturalist Gilbert White (1720–1793), a pioneering English naturalist and ornithologist. He is best known for writing Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne (1789). William Bartram (1739–1823) was another significant American pioneer naturalist who became a respected figure in literary and scientific communities after his first work was published in 1791. == Early history == The tradition of clerical naturalists can be traced back to the monastic writings of the Middle Ages, although under modern-day


id: nature-writing-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature_writing-1.md
category: reference
title: Nature writing
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature_writing
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:06.751729+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: nature-writing-20260505-0
summary:
== 20th century to date == The second half of the 20th century saw a significant increase in nature writing in fiction and non-fiction in Britain. One of the earliest of these works was John Moore (1907–1967), a best-selling pioneer conservationist. Writing from the 1930s to 1960s, he was described by Sir Compton Mackenzie as the most talented writer about the countryside of his generation. Moore's contemporaries included Henry Williamson (1895–1977), best known for Tarka the Otter, whose imaginative prose won him the Hawthornden Prize in 1928. Other 20th century writers included American authors Edward Abbey (1927–1989), Aldo Leopold (1887–1948) and Indian author M. Krishnan (1912–1996). After World War II, other writers emerged including English teacher and naturalist Margaret Hutchinson (1904–1997), who strongly advocated for raising children as naturalists from an early age. American author Rachel Carson (1907–1964) is known for Silent Spring, published in 1962. Carson heralded a new and pointed style of nature writing that carried stronger warnings of environmental loss as pesticide use in industrial agriculture became an increasing concern after World War II. Relevant contemporary nature writers in Britain include Richard Mabey, Roger Deakin, Mark Cocker, and Oliver Rackham. Rackham's books included Ancient Woodland (1980) and


id: naturhistorieselskabet-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naturhistorieselskabet-0.md
category: reference
title: Naturhistorieselskabet
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naturhistorieselskabet
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:07.963217+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: naturhistorieselskabet-20260505-0
summary:
Naturhistorieselskabet (lit. 'the Society for Natural History') was a private society that was the only institution to offer education in natural history in Denmark in the late 18th century. The spirit of the Age of Enlightenment and an escalating agricultural crisis, led the king and the Danish elite to call foreign experts on economy, including botany and silviculture, to the country. The autonomous University of Copenhagen, on the other hand, was reluctant to employ foreign experts in little-established disciplines. Naturhistorieselskabet was formed in 1788 in order to ensure education in botany, zoology and mineralogy based on private funds. For example, Martin Vahl lectured in botany. After the appointment in 1795 of a professor in geology and in 1797 one in botany, the society gradually lost its importance. It was soon abolished and its collections donated to the state (much later united with the university collections). == Sources == Wagner, P.H. 2001. Institutionaliseringen af botanik og geologi i Danmark-Norge i det 18. århundrede (colloquium). Institut for Videnskabshistorie.


id: peterson-identification-system-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peterson_Identification_System-0.md
category: reference
title: Peterson Identification System
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peterson_Identification_System
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:09.311795+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: peterson-identification-system-20260505-0
summary:
The Peterson Identification System is a practical method for the field identification of animals, plants and other natural phenomena. It was devised by ornithologist Roger Tory Peterson in 1934 for the first of his series of Field Guides (See Peterson Field Guides.) Peterson devised his system "so that live birds could be identified readily at a distance by their 'field marks' without resorting to the bird-in-hand characters that the early collectors relied on. During the last half century the binocular and the spotting scope have replaced the shotgun." As such, it both reflected and contributed to awareness of the emerging early environmental movement. Another application of this system was made when Roger Tory Peterson was enlisted in the US Army Corps of Engineers from 1943 to 1945. “...plane identification—the aircraft spotting technique—was based on Roger’s bird identification method-the Peterson system.”. == The system == Created for use by amateur naturalists and laymen, rather than specialists, the "Peterson System" is essentially a pictorial key based upon readily noticed visual impressions rather than on the technical features of interest to scientists. The technique involves patternistic drawings with arrows that pinpoint the key field comparisons between similar species. == Influence == Since the


id: plant-collecting-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_collecting-0.md
category: reference
title: Plant collecting
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_collecting
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:10.627431+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: plant-collecting-20260505-0
summary:
Plant collecting is the acquisition of plant specimens for the purposes of research, cultivation, or as a hobby. Plant specimens may be kept alive, but are more commonly dried and pressed to preserve the quality of the specimen. Plant collecting is an ancient practice with records of a Chinese botanist collecting roses over 5000 years ago. Herbaria are collections of preserved plants samples and their associated data for scientific purposes. The largest herbarium in the world exist at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, in Paris, France. Plant samples in herbaria typically include a reference sheet with information about the plant and details of collection. This detailed and organized system of filing provides horticulturist and other researchers alike with a way to find information about a certain plant, and a way to add new information to an existing plant sample file. The collection of live plant specimens from the wild, sometimes referred to as plant hunting, is an activity that has occurred for centuries. The earliest recorded evidence of plant hunting was in 1495 BC when botanists were sent to Somalia to collect incense trees for Queen Hatshepsut. The Victorian era saw a surge in plant hunting activity as botanical adventurers


id: plant-collecting-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_collecting-1.md
category: reference
title: Plant collecting
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_collecting
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:10.627431+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: plant-collecting-20260505-0
summary:
=== Preservation without pressing === Some specimens cannot be compressed, degrade when dried, or require other techniques for preservation and storage. Large seeds or fruits may be stored in boxes without compression. Aquatic plants and delicate plants may be stored in a liquid preservative. Cacti may be stored in ethanol. In cases where drying or pressing a plant may destroy or alter a plant feature being studied, 50-75% ethanol can be used to preserve the specimen for up to 4 weeks. This is commonly used when sectioning tissue samples. If a collector wishes to preserve a flower in its natural shape they will use a desiccant. The most commonly used desiccant is silica gel. To do this flowers are placed in a box, and the desiccant is added till the flowers are covered. After 2–7 days the desiccant is removed, revealing the preserved flowers. == Collection of herbarium specimens == Herbarium specimens of plants are collected for a number of different uses. They can assist in accurate identification and provide a species record for a time and place that can be used in distribution maps. They can also provide biological material for researchers, a reference point to document scientific names


id: plant-collecting-20260505-2
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_collecting-2.md
category: reference
title: Plant collecting
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_collecting
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:10.627431+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: plant-collecting-20260505-0
summary:
Another Victorian craze known as Orchidelirium similarly led to a drastic decline of several species of orchids. The lady's slipper orchid Cypripedium calceolus was declared extinct in the UK in 1917 and later rediscovered in 1930 as a single wild plant in the Yorkshire Dales, the only remaining site in the UK for these plants. Once found, the plant was guarded 24 hours a day. ==== Summer lady's-tresses orchid ==== In 1956, the UK's last remaining plants of the Spiranthes aestivalis, summer lady's-tresses orchid, were stolen. The orchid is still classified as extinct in the UK. === Modern examples === Many botanical gardens have been the target of plant theft, given the nature of their collections, which often house rare and valuable plants. ==== Kew Royal Botanic Gardens (2014) ==== In 2014, Kew Royal Botanic Gardens saw the theft of one of twenty-four of their Nymphaea thermarum, the world's smallest water lily ever discovered. There are about 100 of these species left, which survive solely in botanical gardens, last seen in the wild in 2008. ==== Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden (2014) ==== In 2014 in two separate incidents, a total of twenty four cycads were taken from the Kirstenbosch National


id: regius-professor-of-natural-history-aberdeen-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regius_Professor_of_Natural_History_(Aberdeen)-0.md
category: reference
title: Regius Professor of Natural History (Aberdeen)
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regius_Professor_of_Natural_History_(Aberdeen)
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:11.920124+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: regius-professor-of-natural-history-aberdeen-20260505-0
summary:
The Regius Professor of Natural History is a Regius Professorship at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. It was originally called the Regius Professor of Civil and Natural History at Marischal College until in 1860 Marischal College and King's Colleges merged to form the University of Aberdeen, and the title changed to Natural History. == References ==


id: synopses-of-the-british-fauna-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synopses_of_the_British_Fauna-0.md
category: reference
title: Synopses of the British Fauna
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synopses_of_the_British_Fauna
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:13.278758+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: synopses-of-the-british-fauna-20260505-0
summary:
Synopses of the British Fauna is a series of identification guides, published by The Linnean Society and The Estuarine and Coastal Sciences Association. Each volume in the series provides and in-depth analysis of a group of animals and is designed to bridge the gap between the standard field guide and more specialised monograph or treatise. The series is now published by The Field Studies Council on behalf of The Linnean Society and The Estuarine and Coastal Sciences Association. The series is designed for use in the field and is kept as user friendly as possible with technical terminology kept to a minimum and a glossary of terms provided, although the complexity of the subject matter makes the books more suitable for the more experienced practitioner. == History of the series == On 11 March 1943, at a meeting of The Linnean Society in Burlington House, TH Savoy presented his "Synopsis of the Opiliones" (Harvestmen). It was so well received that a decision was made there and then to publish it as the first of a series of "ecological fauna lists". Re-launched by Dr Doris Kermack in the mid-1960s, the New Series of Synopses of the British Fauna went from strength


id: list-of-scientific-occupations-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_scientific_occupations-0.md
category: reference
title: List of scientific occupations
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_scientific_occupations
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:14.870222+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: list-of-scientific-occupations-20260505-0
summary:
This is a list of science and science-related occupations, which include various scientific occupations and careers based upon scientific research disciplines and explorers. == Life science == Biologist Biomedical scientist Botanist Clinical pharmaceutical scientist Ecologist Geneticist Herpetologist Medical laboratory scientist Microbiologist Neuroscientist Physician Veterinarian Zoologist Bioinformatician == Applied science == Aeronautical engineer Biomedical engineer Chemical engineer Civil engineer Computer engineer Educational technologist Electrical engineer Engineering technician Engineering technologist Mechanical engineer Petrochemical engineer == Formal science == Computational scientist Mathematician – A person with an extensive knowledge of mathematics, a field informally defined as being concerned with numbers, data, collection, quantity, structure, space and calculus. == Statistics == Actuary Demographic marketer Statistician == General scientific occupations == Forensic scientist Gentleman scientist – A financially independent scientist who pursues scientific study as a hobby Government scientist Healthcare science Hiwi – A German abbreviation for "assistant scientist" Inventor Psychologist Research fellow School science technician Science attaché – A member of a diplomatic mission (usually an embassy) that focuses on scientific and technical matters Scientist == Natural science == Archaeologist Astronaut Astronomer Biochemist Biologist Chemist Ecologist Forester Geographer Naturalist Oceanographer Paleontologist Pathologist == Physical science == Chemist Physicist == Earth science == Geographer Geologist


id: scientist-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientist-0.md
category: reference
title: Scientist
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientist
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:16.107210+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientist-20260505-0
summary:
A scientist is an expert who conducts scientific research to advance knowledge in science. In classical antiquity, there was no real ancient analog of a modern scientist. Instead, philosophers engaged in the philosophical study of nature called natural philosophy. Though Thales (c. 624–545 BC) was arguably the first scientist for describing how cosmic events may be seen as natural, not necessarily caused by gods, it was not until the 19th century that the term scientist came into regular use: it was coined by the theologian, philosopher, and historian of science Wang Zhenyi and William Whewell to describe Mary Somerville. == History == The roles of "scientists", and their predecessors before the emergence of modern scientific disciplines, have evolved considerably over time. Scientists of different eras (and before them, natural philosophers, mathematicians, natural historians, natural theologians, engineers, and others who contributed to the development of science) have had widely different places in society, and the social norms, ethical values, and epistemic virtues associated with scientists—and expected of them—have changed over time as well. Accordingly, many different historical figures can be identified as early scientists, depending on which characteristics of modern science are taken to be essential. Some historians point to the


id: scientist-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientist-1.md
category: reference
title: Scientist
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientist
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:16.107210+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientist-20260505-0
summary:
=== 19th century === Until the late 19th or early 20th century, scientists were commonly referred to as "natural philosophers" or "men of science". English philosopher and historian of science William Whewell coined the term scientist in 1833. It first appeared in print in his anonymous 1834 review of Mary Somerville's On the Connexion of the Physical Sciences, published in the Quarterly Review. In the review, Whewell discussed what he described as an increasing tendency toward specialization within the sciences. As highly specific terms such as chemist, mathematician, and naturalist became common, the broader term philosopher no longer adequately described those engaged in scientific study. Whewell contrasted this trend with Somerville's aim of demonstrating how distinct branches of science had historically been unified through general principles. Whewell reported that members of the British Association for the Advancement of Science had expressed concern over the absence of a suitable collective term for "students of the knowledge of the material world." Referring indirectly to himself, he noted that "some ingenious gentleman" had proposed the word scientist by analogy with artist, arguing that similar formations such as economist and atheist were already in use. The suggestion, however, was not immediately well received. Whewell


id: scientist-20260505-2
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientist-2.md
category: reference
title: Scientist
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientist
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:16.107210+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: scientist-20260505-0
summary:
==== Research interests ==== Scientists include experimentalists who mainly perform experiments to test hypotheses, and theoreticians who mainly develop models to explain existing data and predict new results. There is a continuum between the two activities and the division between them is not clear-cut, with many scientists performing both tasks. Those considering science as a career often look to the frontiers. These include cosmology and biology, especially molecular biology and the human genome project. Other areas of active research include the exploration of matter at the scale of elementary particles as described by high-energy physics, and materials science, which seeks to discover and design new materials. Others choose to study brain function and neurotransmitters, which is considered by many to be the "final frontier". There are many important discoveries to make regarding the nature of the mind and human thought, much of which still remains unknown. === By specialization === ==== Natural science ==== ===== Physical science ===== ===== Life science ===== ==== Social science ==== ==== Formal science ==== ==== Applied ==== ==== Interdisciplinary ==== === By employer === Academic Independent scientist Industrial/applied scientist Citizen scientist Government scientist == Demography == === By country === The number of scientists


id: astronaut-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut-0.md
category: reference
title: Astronaut
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:17.448137+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: astronaut-20260505-0
summary:
An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek ἄστρον (astron), meaning 'star', and ναύτης (nautes), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member of a spacecraft. Although generally reserved for professional space travelers, the term is sometimes applied to anyone who travels into space, including scientists, politicians, journalists, and space tourists. In the United States, it is a designated term used by three agencies: NASA, the FAA, and the military. The term is also used for people who are trained to fly in a spacecraft after passing certain training courses, regardless of their experience of space travel. "Astronaut" technically applies to all human space travelers regardless of nationality. However, astronauts fielded by Russia or the Soviet Union are typically known instead as cosmonauts (from the Russian "kosmos" (космос), meaning "space", also borrowed from Greek κόσμος). Comparatively recent developments in crewed spaceflight made by China have led to the rise of the term taikonaut (from the Mandarin "tàikōng" (太空), meaning "space"), although its use is somewhat informal and its origin is unclear. In China, the People's Liberation Army Astronaut Corps astronauts and their foreign counterparts are all officially called


id: astronaut-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut-1.md
category: reference
title: Astronaut
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:17.448137+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: astronaut-20260505-0
summary:
A professional space traveler is called an astronaut. The first known use of the term "astronaut" in the modern sense was by Neil R. Jones in his 1930 short story "The Death's Head Meteor". The word itself had been known earlier; for example, in Percy Greg's 1880 book Across the Zodiac, "astronaut" referred to a spacecraft. In Les Navigateurs de l'infini (1925) by J.-H. Rosny aîné, the word astronautique (astronautics) was used. The word may have been inspired by "aeronaut", an older term for an air traveler first applied in 1784 to balloonists. An early use of "astronaut" in a non-fiction publication is Eric Frank Russell's poem "The Astronaut", appearing in the November 1934 Bulletin of the British Interplanetary Society. The first known formal use of the term astronautics in the scientific community was the establishment of the annual International Astronautical Congress in 1950, and the subsequent founding of the International Astronautical Federation the following year. NASA applies the term astronaut to any crew member aboard NASA spacecraft bound for Earth orbit or beyond. NASA also uses the term as a title for those selected to join its Astronaut Corps. The European Space Agency similarly uses the term astronaut for


id: astronaut-20260505-2
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut-2.md
category: reference
title: Astronaut
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:17.448137+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: astronaut-20260505-0
summary:
one who flies in a vehicle above 50 miles (80 km) for NASA or the military is considered an astronaut (with no qualifier) one who flies in a vehicle to the International Space Station in a mission coordinated by NASA and Roscosmos is a spaceflight participant one who flies above 50 miles (80 km) in a non-NASA vehicle as a crewmember and demonstrates activities during flight that are essential to public safety, or contribute to human space flight safety, is considered a commercial astronaut by the Federal Aviation Administration one who flies to the International Space Station as part of a "privately funded, dedicated commercial spaceflight on a commercial launch vehicle dedicated to the mission ... to conduct approved commercial and marketing activities on the space station (or in a commercial segment attached to the station)" is considered a private astronaut by NASA (as of 2020, nobody has yet qualified for this status) On July 20, 2021, the FAA issued an order redefining the eligibility criteria to be an astronaut in response to the private suborbital spaceflights of Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson. The new criteria states that one must have "[d]emonstrated activities during flight that were essential to public


id: astronaut-20260505-3
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut-3.md
category: reference
title: Astronaut
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:17.448137+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: astronaut-20260505-0
summary:
=== Civilian and non-government milestones === The first civilian in space was Valentina Tereshkova aboard Vostok 6 (she also became the first woman in space on that mission). Tereshkova was only honorarily inducted into the USSR's Air Force, which did not accept female pilots at that time. A month later, Joseph Albert Walker became the first American civilian in space when his X-15 Flight 90 crossed the 100 kilometers (54 nautical miles) line, qualifying him by the international definition of spaceflight. Walker had joined the US Army Air Force but was not a member during his flight. The first people in space who had never been a member of any country's armed forces were both Konstantin Feoktistov and Boris Yegorov aboard Voskhod 1. The first non-governmental space traveler was Byron K. Lichtenberg, a researcher from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who flew on STS-9 in 1983. In December 1990, Toyohiro Akiyama became the first paying space traveler and the first journalist in space for Tokyo Broadcasting System, a visit to Mir as part of an estimated $12 million (USD) deal with a Japanese TV station, although at the time, the term used to refer to Akiyama was "Research Cosmonaut". Akiyama


id: astronaut-20260505-4
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut-4.md
category: reference
title: Astronaut
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:17.448137+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: astronaut-20260505-0
summary:
Astronauts are susceptible to a variety of health risks including decompression sickness, barotrauma, immunodeficiencies, loss of bone and muscle, loss of eyesight, orthostatic intolerance, sleep disturbances, and radiation injury. A variety of large scale medical studies are being conducted in space via the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) to address these issues. Prominent among these is the Advanced Diagnostic Ultrasound in Microgravity Study in which astronauts (including former ISS commanders Leroy Chiao and Gennady Padalka) perform ultrasound scans under the guidance of remote experts to diagnose and potentially treat hundreds of medical conditions in space. This study's techniques are now being applied to cover professional and Olympic sports injuries as well as ultrasound performed by non-expert operators in medical and high school students. It is anticipated that remote guided ultrasound will have application on Earth in emergency and rural care situations, where access to a trained physician is often rare. A 2006 Space Shuttle experiment found that Salmonella typhimurium, a bacterium that can cause food poisoning, became more virulent when cultivated in space. More recently, in 2017, bacteria were found to be more resistant to antibiotics and to thrive in the near-weightlessness of space. Microorganisms have been observed to


id: astronaut-20260505-5
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut-5.md
category: reference
title: Astronaut
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:17.448137+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: astronaut-20260505-0
summary:
As of 2020, eighteen astronauts (fourteen men and four women) have died during four space flights. By nationality, thirteen were American, four were Russian (Soviet Union), and one was Israeli. As of 2020, eleven people (all men) have died training for spaceflight: eight Americans and three Russians. Six of these were in crashes of training jet aircraft, one drowned during water recovery training, and four were due to fires in pure oxygen environments. Astronaut David Scott left a memorial consisting of a statuette titled Fallen Astronaut on the surface of the Moon during his 1971 Apollo 15 mission, along with a list of the names of eight of the astronauts and six cosmonauts known at the time to have died in service. The Space Mirror Memorial, which stands on the grounds of the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, is maintained by the Astronauts Memorial Foundation and commemorates the lives of the men and women who have died during spaceflight and during training in the space programs of the United States. In addition to twenty NASA career astronauts, the memorial includes the names of an X-15 test pilot, a U.S. Air Force officer who died while training for a then-classified military


id: astronaut-training-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut_training-0.md
category: reference
title: Astronaut training
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut_training
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:18.749528+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: astronaut-training-20260505-0
summary:
Astronaut training describes the complex process of preparing astronauts in regions around the world for their space missions before, during and after the flight, which includes medical tests, physical training, extra-vehicular activity (EVA) training, wilderness survival training, water survival training, robotics training, procedure training, rehabilitation process, as well as training on experiments they will perform during their stay in space. Virtual and physical training facilities have been integrated to familiarize astronauts with the conditions they will encounter during all phases of flight and prepare astronauts for a microgravity environment. Special considerations must be made during training to ensure a safe and successful mission, which is why the Apollo astronauts received training for geology field work on the Lunar surface and why research is being conducted on best practices for future extended missions, such as trips to Mars. == Purpose of training == === Training flow === The selection and training of astronauts are integrated processes to ensure the crew members are qualified for space missions. The training is categorized into five objectives to train the astronauts on the general and specific aspects: basic training, advanced training, mission-specific training, onboard training, and proficiency maintenance training. The trainees must learn medicine, language,


id: astronaut-training-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut_training-1.md
category: reference
title: Astronaut training
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut_training
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:18.749528+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: astronaut-training-20260505-0
summary:
=== Science experiments === Scientific experimentation are the primary focus of the International Space Station, and is a mandatory part of training. Once on-orbit, communication between astronauts and scientists on the ground can be limited, so astronauts must be familiar with their assigned experiments. For missions to the ISS, each astronaut is required to become proficient at one hundred or more experiments. During training, the scientists responsible for the experiments do not have direct contact with the astronauts who will be carrying them out. Instead, scientists instruct trainers who in turn prepare the astronauts for carrying out the experiment. Much of this training is done at the European Astronaut Center. For human experiments, scientists describe their experiments to astronauts who then choose whether to participate on board the ISS. For these experiments, the astronauts will be tested before, during, and after the mission to establish a baseline and determine when the astronaut returned to the baseline. == Training by region == === United States === At NASA, following the selection phase, the so-called "AsCans" (Astronaut candidates) have to undergo up to two years of training to become fully qualified astronauts. Initially, all AsCans must go through basic training to learn


id: astronaut-training-20260505-2
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut_training-2.md
category: reference
title: Astronaut training
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut_training
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:18.749528+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: astronaut-training-20260505-0
summary:
For all ESA selected astronauts, Basic Training begins at the EAC headquarters. This section of the training cycle has four separate training blocks that last 16 months. Astronauts will receive an orientation on the major spacefaring nations, their space agencies, and all major crewed and uncrewed space programs. Training in this phase also looks into applicable laws and policies of the space sector. Technical (including engineering, astrodynamics, propulsion, orbital mechanics, etc.) and scientific (including human physiology, biology, earth observation, and astronomy) basics are introduced, to ensure that all new astronauts have the required base level of knowledge. Training is done on ISS operations and facilities, including an introduction to all major operating systems on board the ISS that are required for its functionality as a crewed space research laboratory. This phase also covers in-depth systems operations for all spacecraft that service the ISS (e.g. Soyuz, Progress, Automatic Transfer Vehicle (ATV), and the H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV)), as well as ground control and launch facility training. This training phase also focuses on skills such as robotic operations, rendezvous and docking, Russian language courses, human behavior and performance, and finally a PADI open water scuba diving course. This scuba course provides basic


id: astronaut-training-20260505-3
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut_training-3.md
category: reference
title: Astronaut training
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut_training
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:18.749528+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: astronaut-training-20260505-0
summary:
=== China === Although official details of the selection process for the Shenzhou program are not available, what is known is that candidates are chosen by the Chinese National Space Administration from the Chinese air force and must be between 25 and 30 years of age, with a minimum of 800 hours flying time, and a degree-level education. Candidates must be between 160 cm and 172 cm in height, and between 50 kg and 70 kg in weight. For China's Shenzhou astronauts, training begins with a year-long program of education in the basics of spaceflight. During this period, candidates are also introduced to human physiology and psychology. The second phase of training, lasting nearly 3 years involves extensive training in piloting the Shenzhou vehicle in nominal and emergency modes. The third and final stage of training is mission specific training, and lasts approximately 10 months. During this phase of training, astronauts are trained in the high fidelity Shenzhou trainer, as well as the Neutral Buoyancy Facility located at the Astronaut Center of China (ACC), in Beijing. As well as time spent in the Neutral Buoyancy Facility (NBF), training for EVA takes place in a high vacuum, low temperature chamber that


id: astronaut-training-20260505-4
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut_training-4.md
category: reference
title: Astronaut training
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut_training
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:18.749528+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: astronaut-training-20260505-0
summary:
Virtual reality technologies first came to a commercial release in the 1990s. It is not until then did people realize that VR can be used in training astronauts. The earlier VR gears for astronaut training are dedicated to enhance the communication between robot arm operators and the astronaut during Extravehicular Activities (EVA). It brings EVA crew members and robot arm operators together, in live, even when they are on board a spacecraft. It is also used to replace some of the oversized models that cannot fit in the Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL). In 1993, astronauts were trained and evaluated on working on the Hubble Space Telescope through a virtual reality training tool, Research in Human Factors Aspects of Enhanced Virtual Environments for EVA Training and Simulation (RAVEN). However, the aim of RAVEN was not to train astronauts but to evaluate the efficacy of training using virtual reality versus underwater and other setup. Virtual reality can be used for mission planning, cooperative and interactive designing, and engineering problem-solving, among other use cases. === Current virtual reality training === While the extravehicular activities (EVAs) training facility can simulate the space conditions, including pressure and lighting, the Micro-g environment cannot be fully reconstructed


id: astronaut-training-20260505-5
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut_training-5.md
category: reference
title: Astronaut training
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut_training
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:18.749528+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: astronaut-training-20260505-0
summary:
=== Advantages of virtual reality training === Visual reorientation is a phenomenon that happens when the perception of an object changes because of the changing visual field and cues. This illusion will alter the astronaut's perception of the orienting force of gravity and then lose spatial direction. The astronauts must develop good spatial awareness and orientation to overcome visual reorientation. In the traditional disorientation training, for instance, the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center trains the astronaut by simulating a microgravity environment through a centrifuge. In contrast, VR training requires less gear, training the astronauts more economically. Virtual reality training utilizes the mix-realistic interaction devices, such as cockpits in flight simulators can reduce the simulation sickness and increase user movement. Compared to traditional training, VR training performs better to minimize the effects of space motion sickness and spatial disorientation. Astronauts who received VR training can perform the task 12% faster, with a 53% decrease in nausea symptoms. While VR is used in astronaut training on the ground, immersive technology also contributes to on-orbit training. VR head-mounted display can help the astronaut maintain physical well-being as part of proficiency maintenance training. Moreover, VR systems are used to ensure the mental health of


id: astronomer-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronomer-0.md
category: reference
title: Astronomer
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronomer
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:20.108435+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: astronomer-20260505-0
summary:
An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. Astronomers study astronomical objects, such as stars, planets, moons, comets and galaxies, by some combination of observation and the application of astrophysical models. Examples of topics or fields astronomers study include planetary science, solar astronomy, the origin or evolution of stars, or the formation of galaxies. A related but distinct subject is physical cosmology, which studies the universe as a whole. == Character of work == Astronomers cannot typically perform experiments: the objects of interest in the field are far away. Consequently they rely primarily on observations, collecting electromagnetic radiation, gravitational waves, or particles such as cosmic rays. Some experiments on planets in the solar system are now possible via remote controlled spacecraft. Some of the measurements astronomers perform include astrometry (positions of celestial bodies), photometry (light flux), spectroscopy (intensity vs wavelength), and imaging. == Subfields == Astronomy includes astrometry, planetary astronomy, astrophysics, astrochemistry astrobiology, stellar astronomy, galactic astronomy, extragalactic astronomy, and physical cosmology. Astronomers can also specialize in certain specialties of observational astronomy, such as infrared astronomy, neutrino astronomy, x-ray astronomy, and gravitational-wave astronomy. == Academic


id: bacteriologist-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacteriologist-0.md
category: reference
title: Bacteriologist
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacteriologist
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:22.330619+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: bacteriologist-20260505-0
summary:
A bacteriologist is a microbiologist, or similarly trained professional, in bacteriology— a subdivision of microbiology that studies bacteria, typically pathogenic ones. Bacteriologists are interested in studying and learning about bacteria, as well as using their skills in clinical settings. This includes investigating properties of bacteria such as morphology, ecology, genetics and biochemistry, phylogenetics, genomics and many other areas related to bacteria like disease diagnostic testing. Alongside human and animal healthcare providers, they may carry out various functions as medical scientists, veterinary scientists, pathologists, or diagnostic technicians in locations like clinics, blood banks, hospitals, laboratories and animal hospitals. Bacteriologists working in public health or biomedical research help develop vaccines for public use as well as public health guidelines for restaurants and businesses. == Education == Because bacteriology is a sub-field of microbiology, most careers in bacteriology require an undergraduate degree in microbiology or a closely related field. Graduate degrees in microbiology or disciplines like it are common for bacteriologists because graduate degree programs provide more in-depth and specific education on topics related to bacteriology. They also often include research and lab experience. Graduate studies also provide opportunities for practical experience in applying bacteriological concepts to a work environment. If someone wants


id: biochemist-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biochemist-0.md
category: reference
title: Biochemist
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biochemist
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:23.586309+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: biochemist-20260505-0
summary:
Biochemists are scientists who are trained in biochemistry. They study chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms. Biochemists study DNA, proteins and cell parts. The word "biochemist" is a portmanteau of "biological chemist." Biochemists also research how certain chemical reactions happen in cells and tissues and observe and record the effects of products in food additives and medicines. Biochemist researchers focus on planning and constructing research experiments, mainly for developing new products, updating existing products and analyzing said products. It is also the responsibility of a biochemist to present their research findings and create grant proposals to obtain funds for future research. Biochemists study aspects of the immune system, the expressions of genes, isolating, analyzing, and synthesizing different products, mutations that lead to cancers, and manage laboratory teams and monitor laboratory work. Biochemists also have to have the capabilities of designing and building laboratory equipment and devise new methods of producing correct results for products. The most common industry role is the development of biochemical products and processes. Identifying substances' chemical and physical properties in biological systems is of great importance, and can be carried out by doing various types of analysis. Biochemists must also prepare technical reports after


id: biologist-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biologist-0.md
category: reference
title: Biologist
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biologist
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:24.716492+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: biologist-20260505-0
summary:
A biologist is a scientist who conducts research in biology. Biologists are interested in studying life on Earth, whether it is an individual cell, a multicellular organism, or a community of interacting populations. They usually specialize in a particular branch (e.g., molecular biology, zoology, and evolutionary biology) of biology and have a specific research focus (e.g., studying malaria or cancer). Biologists who are involved in basic research have the aim of advancing knowledge about the natural world. They conduct their research using the scientific method, which is an empirical method for testing hypotheses. Their discoveries may have applications for some specific purpose such as in biotechnology, which has the goal of developing medically useful products for humans. In modern times, most biologists have one or more academic degrees such as a bachelor's degree, as well as an advanced degree such as a master's degree or a doctorate. Like other scientists, biologists can be found working in different sectors of the economy such as in academia, nonprofits, private industry, or government. == History == Francesco Redi, the founder of experimental biology, is recognized to be one of the greatest biologists of all time. Robert Hooke, an English natural philosopher, coined the


id: biologist-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biologist-1.md
category: reference
title: Biologist
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biologist
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:24.716492+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: biologist-20260505-0
summary:
Geneticists study genetics, the science of genes, heredity, and variation of organisms. Neuroscientists study the nervous system. Developmental biologists study the process of development and growth of organisms Biochemists study the chemical composition of living things. They analyze the complex chemical combinations and reactions involved in metabolism, reproduction, and growth. Molecular biologists study the biological activity between biomolecules. Microbiologists investigate the growth and characteristics of microscopic organisms such as bacteria, algae, or fungi. Physiologists study life functions of plants and animals, in the whole organism and at the cellular or molecular level, under normal and abnormal conditions. Physiologists often specialize in functions such as growth, reproduction, photosynthesis, respiration, or movement, or in the physiology of a certain area or system of the organism. Biophysicists use experimental methods traditionally employed in physics to answer biological questions . Computational biologists apply the techniques of computer science, applied mathematics and statistics to address biological problems. The main focus lies on developing mathematical modeling and computational simulation techniques. By these means it addresses scientific research topics with their theoretical and experimental questions without a laboratory. Zoologists and wildlife biologists study animals and wildlife—their origin, behavior, diseases, and life processes. Some experiment with live animals


id: biomedical-sciences-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomedical_sciences-0.md
category: reference
title: Biomedical sciences
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomedical_sciences
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:26.013113+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: biomedical-sciences-20260505-0
summary:
Biomedical sciences are a set of sciences applying portions of natural science or formal science, or both, to develop knowledge, interventions, or technology that are of use in healthcare or public health. Such disciplines as medical microbiology, clinical virology, clinical epidemiology, genetic epidemiology, and biomedical engineering are medical sciences. In explaining physiological mechanisms operating in pathological processes, however, pathophysiology can be regarded as basic science. Biomedical Sciences, as defined by the UK Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education Benchmark Statement in 2015, includes those science disciplines whose primary focus is the biology of human health and disease and ranges from the generic study of biomedical sciences and human biology to more specialised subject areas such as pharmacology, human physiology and human nutrition. It is underpinned by relevant basic sciences including anatomy and physiology, cell biology, biochemistry, microbiology, genetics and molecular biology, pharmacology, immunology, mathematics and statistics, and bioinformatics. As such the biomedical sciences have a much wider range of academic and research activities and economic significance than that defined by hospital laboratory sciences. Biomedical Sciences are the major focus of bioscience research and funding in the 21st century. == Roles within biomedical science == A sub-set of biomedical sciences is


id: biomedical-sciences-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomedical_sciences-1.md
category: reference
title: Biomedical sciences
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomedical_sciences
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:26.013113+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: biomedical-sciences-20260505-0
summary:
=== 1940s === During and after World War II, the field of biomedical science saw a new age of technology and treatment methods. For instance in 1941 the first hormonal treatment for prostate cancer was implemented by Urologist and cancer researcher Charles B. Huggins. Huggins discovered that if you remove the testicles from a man with prostate cancer, the cancer had nowhere to spread, and nothing to feed on thus putting the subject into remission. This advancement lead to the development of hormonal blocking drugs, which is less invasive and still used today. At the tail end of this decade, the first bone marrow transplant was done on a mouse in 1949. The surgery was conducted by Dr. Leon O. Jacobson, he discovered that he could transplant bone marrow and spleen tissues in a mouse that had both no bone marrow and a destroyed spleen. The procedure is still used in modern medicine today and is responsible for saving countless lives. === 1950s === In the 1950s, we saw innovation in technology across all fields, but most importantly there were many breakthroughs which led to modern medicine. On 6 March 1953, Dr. Jonas Salk announced the completion of the first


id: biomedical-scientist-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomedical_scientist-0.md
category: reference
title: Biomedical scientist
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomedical_scientist
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:27.370205+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: biomedical-scientist-20260505-0
summary:
A biomedical scientist is a scientist trained in biology, particularly in the context of medical laboratory sciences or laboratory medicine. These scientists work to gain knowledge on the main principles of how the human body works and to find new ways to cure or treat disease by developing advanced diagnostic tools or new therapeutic strategies. The research of biomedical scientists is referred to as biomedical research. == Description == The specific activities of the biomedical scientist can differ in various parts of the world and vary with the level of education. Generally speaking, biomedical scientists conduct research in a laboratory setting, using living organisms as models to conduct experiments. These can include cultured human or animal cells grown outside of the whole organism, small animals such as flies, worms, fish, mice, and rats, or, rarely, larger animals and primates. Biomedical scientists may also work directly with human tissue specimens to perform experiments as well as participate in clinical research. Biomedical scientists employ a variety of techniques in order to carry out laboratory experiments. These include: Molecular and biochemical techniques Electrophoresis and blotting Immunostaining Chromatography Mass spectrometry PCR and sequencing Microarrays Imaging technologies Light, fluorescence, and electron microscopy MRI PET X-ray


id: biomedical-scientist-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomedical_scientist-1.md
category: reference
title: Biomedical scientist
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomedical_scientist
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:27.370205+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: biomedical-scientist-20260505-0
summary:
=== United Kingdom === Biomedical Sciences, as defined by the UK Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education Benchmark Statement in 2015 includes those science disciplines whose primary focus is the biology of human health and disease and ranges from the generic study of biomedical sciences and human biology to more specialised subject areas such as pharmacology, human physiology and human nutrition. It is underpinned by relevant basic sciences including anatomy and physiology, cell biology, biochemistry, microbiology, genetics and molecular biology, immunology, mathematics and statistics, and bioinformatics. "Biomedical scientist" is the protected title used by professionals qualified to work unsupervised within the pathology department of a hospital. The biomedical sciences are made up of the following disciplines; biochemistry, haematology, immunology, microbiology, histology, cytology, and transfusion services. These professions are regulated within the United Kingdom by the Health and Care Professions Council. Anyone who falsely claims to be a biomedical scientist commits an offence and could be fined up to £5000. Each department specialises in aiding the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Entry to the profession requires an Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) accredited BSc honours degree followed by a minimum of 12 months laboratory training in one of the pathology disciplines,


id: biomedical-scientist-20260505-2
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomedical_scientist-2.md
category: reference
title: Biomedical scientist
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomedical_scientist
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:27.370205+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: biomedical-scientist-20260505-0
summary:
Biochemistry: studies the chemical composition of cells, and in serum/plasma, and the chemistry behind biological processes Molecular biology: studies the molecular makeup and processes of living organisms Biophysics: studies mechanical and electrical energy in living cells and tissues Cell biology: studies cell-level organization and processes Cytopathology: Studies cell obtained by different means from human and sometimes animal bodies, using microscope and recent technologies to evaluate morphology, molecular pathology changes by molecular diagnostics. Also cytopathology involves cancer screening such cervical, breast, colon and prostate cancers. Computational biology and Bioinformatics: uses computer modeling and data analysis to understand biological systems Developmental biology: studies the growth and development of organisms and focuses on diseases of abnormal development Epidemiology: studies the incidence and transmission of diseases in a population and population characteristics (behaviors, environment, etc.) that associate with diseases Genetics: studies DNA and genes of humans and animals, as well as diseases caused by abnormal or mutated DNA. Haematology: studies of the blood, such as blood cells, and mechanisms of coagulation. Blood transfusion: studies of transfusion science (although frequently linked to haematology, it is however a specialist discipline in its own right). Histopathology: Studies tissues for disease diagnosis, using histological, histochemical, immunohistochemical analysis or


id: chemist-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemist-0.md
category: reference
title: Chemist
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemist
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:28.548712+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: chemist-20260505-0
summary:
A chemist (from Greek chēm(ía) alchemy; replacing chymist from Medieval Latin alchemist) is a graduated scientist trained in the study of chemistry, or an officially enrolled student in the field. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms. Chemists carefully measure substance proportions, chemical reaction rates, and other chemical properties. In Commonwealth English, pharmacists are often called chemists. Chemists use their knowledge to learn the composition and properties of unfamiliar substances, as well as to reproduce and synthesize large quantities of useful naturally occurring substances and create new artificial substances and useful processes. Chemists may specialize in any number of subdisciplines of chemistry. Materials scientists and metallurgists share much of the same education and skills with chemists. The work of chemists is often related to the work of chemical engineers, who are primarily concerned with the proper design, construction and evaluation of the most cost-effective large-scale chemical plants and work closely with industrial chemists on the development of new processes and methods for the commercial-scale manufacture of chemicals and related products. == History of chemistry == The


id: chemist-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemist-1.md
category: reference
title: Chemist
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemist
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:28.548712+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: chemist-20260505-0
summary:
In addition to all the training usually given to chemical technologists in their respective degree (or one given via an associate degree), a chemist is also trained to understand more details related to chemical phenomena so that the chemist can be capable of more planning on the steps to achieve a distinct goal via a chemistry-related endeavor. The higher the competency level achieved in the field of chemistry (as assessed via a combination of education, experience and personal achievements), the higher the responsibility given to that chemist and the more complicated the task might be. Chemistry, as a field, has so many applications that different tasks and objectives can be given to workers or scientists with these different levels of education or experience. The specific title of each job varies from position to position, depending on factors such as the kind of industry, the routine level of the task, the current needs of a particular enterprise, the size of the enterprise or hiring firm, the philosophy and management principles of the hiring firm, the visibility of the competency and individual achievements of the one seeking employment, economic factors such as recession or economic depression, among other factors, so this makes


id: chemist-20260505-2
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemist-2.md
category: reference
title: Chemist
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemist
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:28.548712+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: chemist-20260505-0
summary:
=== Subdisciplines === Chemistry is typically organised into several major subdisciplines — including organic, inorganic, physical, analytical, and biochemistry — and encompasses numerous specialised and interdisciplinary fields. Many of these areas overlap with one another and with related sciences, and chemical research often intersects with disciplines such as biology, medicine, physics, materials science, and engineering. Analytical chemistry is the analysis of material samples to gain an understanding of their chemical composition and structure. Analytical chemistry incorporates standardized experimental methods in chemistry. These methods may be used in all subdisciplines of chemistry, excluding purely theoretical chemistry. Biochemistry is the study of the chemicals, chemical reactions and chemical interactions that take place in living organisms. Biochemistry and organic chemistry are closely related, for example, in medicinal chemistry. Inorganic chemistry is the study of the properties and reactions of inorganic compounds. The distinction between organic and inorganic disciplines is not absolute and there is much overlap, most importantly in the sub-discipline of organometallic chemistry. The Inorganic chemistry is also the study of atomic and molecular structure and bonding. Medicinal chemistry is the science involved with designing, synthesizing and developing pharmaceutical drugs. Medicinal chemistry involves the identification, synthesis and development of new chemical entities


id: chief-experimental-officer-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_experimental_officer-0.md
category: reference
title: Chief experimental officer
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_experimental_officer
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:29.698212+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: chief-experimental-officer-20260505-0
summary:
A chief experimental officer (CEO) is the head of an experimental organization, especially in the military or civil service. Chief Experimental Officer has been the topmost class in the Experimental Officer Class of the British Civil Service. == See also == Chief executive officer (CEO) Chief innovation officer (CINO) Chief scientific officer (CSO) Chief technology officer (CTO) Government scientist == References ==


id: chief-scientific-officer-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_scientific_officer-0.md
category: reference
title: Chief scientific officer
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_scientific_officer
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:30.954876+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: chief-scientific-officer-20260505-0
summary:
A chief scientific officer (CSO) is a position at the head of scientific research operations at organizations or companies performing significant scientific research projects. == Description == A CSO is typically responsible for envisioning and developing research capabilities (human, methodological, and technological) for developing evidence of the validity and utility of research products, and for communicating with the scientific and customer communities concerning capabilities and scientific product offerings. In some organizations, the same person may hold this title along with that of chief technology officer (CTO). Alternatively, a company could have one or the other, or both occupied by separate people. Often, CSOs exist in heavily research-oriented companies; while CTOs exist in product development focused companies. The typical category of research and development that exists in many science and technology companies can be led by either post, depending upon which area is the organization's primary focus. A CSO almost always has a pure science background and an advanced degree, whereas a CTO often has a background in engineering or business development. Some academic research organizations, such as the Fox Chase Cancer Center, Dana–Farber Cancer Institute, and the San Diego Supercomputer Center have adopted a similar title of CSO. Typically, their


id: clinical-technologist-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_technologist-0.md
category: reference
title: Clinical technologist
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_technologist
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:33.368380+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: clinical-technologist-20260505-0
summary:
A clinical technologist, also known as a healthcare science practitioner, is a medical professional involved in the practical delivery of medical physics and clinical engineering services. In some locations there is considerable overlap in closely related terms, for example in many countries technologist and radiographer are synonyms, while in the United Kingdom they are considered separate professions. Clinical technologists can be found in nuclear medicine, radiotherapy, radiation protection, and rehabilitation engineering departments, and they are often described by their scope of practice (for example as a nuclear medicine technologist). == Roles and responsibilities == Depending on local practices, in radiology and radiotherapy technologist may be a synonym for radiographer or a separate position. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) uses technologist primarily to refer to the staff involved in the practical clinical delivery of radiotherapy, radiology and nuclear medicine. There is no single European Union definition or minimum training level for technologists, and the use of the term varies between member states. In radiotherapy, the European SocieTy for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) previously referred to the staff carrying out the practical elements of treatment as Radiation Technologists (RTT), however they have since revised this to Radiation TherapisTs. In the United


id: computational-scientist-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computational_scientist-0.md
category: reference
title: Computational scientist
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computational_scientist
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:34.596758+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: computational-scientist-20260505-0
summary:
A computational scientist is a person skilled in scientific computing. This person is usually a scientist, a statistician, an applied mathematician, or an engineer who applies high-performance computing and sometimes cloud computing in different ways to advance the state-of-the-art in their respective applied discipline; physics, chemistry, social sciences and so forth. Thus scientific computing has increasingly influenced many areas such as economics, biology, law, and medicine to name a few. Because a computational scientist's work is generally applied to science and other disciplines, they are not necessarily trained in computer science specifically, though concepts of computer science are often used. Computational scientists are typically researchers at academic universities, national labs, or tech companies. One of the tasks of a computational scientist is to analyze large amounts of data, often from astrophysics or related fields, as these can often generate huge amounts of data. Computational scientists often have to clean up and calibrate the data to a usable form for an effective analysis. Computational scientists are also tasked with creating artificial data through computer models and simulations. == References ==


id: demographic-marketer-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographic_marketer-0.md
category: reference
title: Demographic marketer
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographic_marketer
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:35.835323+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: demographic-marketer-20260505-0
summary:
Demographic marketers use demographics in marketing research, and the assessment of the changing trends of consumer behavior. Demographics can be called a science, and demographic marketers can be called scientists. A demographic is used to describe individuals who are from a particular area. It can also be used to describe individuals who would rely on purchasing a particular product or service. Using demographics, a marketing manager can try to grasp what certain people think and what they are willing to buy. By understanding how various characteristics of the population reflect their tastes, demographic marketers get an idea of the probability of the sales returns of a launched product in a given area. For any type of business, knowing who the customers are most likely to be through demographic analysis will make it easier to market effectively. == References == == External links == Demographics Reports


id: list-of-developers-of-optical-scientific-equipment-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_developers_of_optical_scientific_equipment-0.md
category: reference
title: List of developers of optical scientific equipment
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_developers_of_optical_scientific_equipment
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:37.128449+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: list-of-developers-of-optical-scientific-equipment-20260505-0
summary:
A developer of optical scientific equipment is an individual who makes and adjusts optical aids for scientific purposes, including telescope optics and microscope lenses. == Telescope developers == James Gilbert Baker Denis Albert Bardou John A. Brashear Laurent Cassegrain Henri Chrétien Alvan Clark John Dollond Charles Wesley Elmer and Richard Scott Perkin Galileo Galilei James Gregory John Hadley Chester Moore Hall Robert Hooke Johannes Kepler Frederick James Hargreaves Christiaan Huygens Hans Lippershey Raymond Augustin Mailhat Dmitri Dmitrievich Maksutov James Henry Marriott Jacob Metius Isaac Newton Georg Simon Plössl Russell W. Porter Jesse Ramsden George Willis Ritchey Christoph Scheiner Bernhard Schmidt James Short See also Timeline of telescope technology and List of astronomical instrument makers == Microscope developers == Ernst Karl Abbe Denis Albert Bardou Christopher Cock Siegfried Czapski Cornelius Drebbel Galileo Galilei Robert Hooke Christiaan Huygens Carl Kellner Anton van Leeuwenhoek Moritz von Rohr See also Timeline of microscope technology == References ==


id: engineer-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineer-0.md
category: reference
title: Engineer
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineer
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:39.424790+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: engineer-20260505-0
summary:
An engineer is a practitioner of engineering. The word engineer (Latin ingeniator, Ir is the term and or title of an engineer in countries like Belgium, The Netherlands, and Indonesia) is derived from the Latin words ingeniare ("to contrive, devise") and ingenium ("cleverness"). The foundational qualifications of a licensed professional engineer typically include a four-year bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline, or in some jurisdictions, a master's degree in an engineering discipline plus four to six years of peer-reviewed professional practice (culminating in a project report or thesis) and passage of engineering board examinations. The work of engineers forms the link between scientific discoveries and their subsequent applications to human and business needs and quality of life. == Definition == In 1961, the Conference of Engineering Societies of Western Europe and the United States of America defined "professional engineer" as follows: A professional engineer is competent by virtue of his/her fundamental education and training to apply the scientific method and outlook to the analysis and solution of engineering problems. He/she is able to assume personal responsibility for the development and application of engineering science and knowledge, notably in research, design, construction, manufacturing, superintending, managing, and in the education of the


id: engineer-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineer-1.md
category: reference
title: Engineer
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineer
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:39.424790+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: engineer-20260505-0
summary:
There are many branches of engineering, each of which specializes in specific technologies and products. Typically, engineers will have deep knowledge in one area and basic knowledge in related areas. For example, mechanical engineering curricula typically include introductory courses in electrical engineering, computer science, materials science, metallurgy, mathematics, and software engineering. An engineer may either be hired for a firm that requires engineers on a continuous basis, or may belong to an engineering firm that provides engineering consulting services to other firms. When developing a product, engineers typically work in interdisciplinary teams. For example, when building robots an engineering team will typically have at least three types of engineers. A mechanical engineer would design the body and actuators. An electrical engineer would design the power systems, sensors, electronics, embedded software in electronics, and control circuitry. Finally, a software engineer would develop the software that makes the robot behave properly. Engineers that aspire to management engage in further study in business administration, project management and organizational or business psychology. Often engineers move up the management hierarchy from managing projects, functional departments, and divisions, and some eventually become CEOs of multi-national corporations. == Ethics == Engineers have obligations to the public, their


id: engineer-20260505-2
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineer-2.md
category: reference
title: Engineer
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineer
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:39.424790+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: engineer-20260505-0
summary:
In the United States, engineering is a regulated profession whose practice and practitioners are licensed and governed by law. Licensure is generally attainable through combination of education, pre-examination (Fundamentals of Engineering exam), examination (professional engineering exam), and engineering experience (typically in the area of 5+ years). Each state tests and licenses professional engineers. Currently, most states do not license by specific engineering discipline, but rather provide generalized licensure, and trust engineers to use professional judgment regarding their individual competencies; this is the favoured approach of the professional societies. Despite this, at least one of the examinations required by most states is actually focused on a particular discipline; candidates for licensure typically choose the category of examination which comes closest to their respective expertise. In the United States, an "industrial exemption" allows businesses to employ employees and call them an "engineer", as long as such individuals are under the direct supervision and control of the business entity and function internally related to manufacturing (manufactured parts) related to the business entity, or work internally within an exempt organization. Such person does not have the final authority to approve, or the ultimate responsibility for, engineering designs, plans, or specifications that are to be


id: engineer-20260505-3
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineer-3.md
category: reference
title: Engineer
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineer
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:39.424790+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: engineer-20260505-0
summary:
In France, the term ingénieur (engineer) is not a protected title and can be used by anyone who practices this profession. However, the title ingénieur diplomé (graduate engineer) is an official academic title that is protected by the government and is associated with the Diplôme d'Ingénieur, which is a renowned academic degree in France. Anyone misusing this title in France can be fined a large sum and jailed, as it is usually reserved for graduates of French engineering grandes écoles. Engineering schools which were created during the French revolution have a special reputation among the French people, as they helped to make the transition from a mostly agricultural country of late 18th century to the industrially developed France of the 19th century. A great part of 19th-century France's economic wealth and industrial prowess was created by engineers that have graduated from École Centrale Paris, École des Mines de Paris, École polytechnique or Télécom Paris. This was also the case after WWII when France had to be rebuilt. Before the "réforme René Haby" in the 1970s, it was very difficult to be admitted to such schools, and the French ingénieurs were commonly perceived as the nation's élite. However, after the Haby


id: engineering-technician-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineering_technician-0.md
category: reference
title: Engineering technician
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineering_technician
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:40.661747+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: engineering-technician-20260505-0
summary:
An engineering technician is a professional trained in skills and techniques related to a specific branch of technology, with a practical understanding of the relevant engineering concepts. Engineering technicians often assist in projects relating to research and development, or focus on post-development activities like implementation or operation. The Dublin Accord was signed in 2002 as an international agreement recognizing engineering technician qualifications. The Dublin Accord is analogous to the Washington Accord for engineers and the Sydney Accord for engineering technologists. == Nature of work == Engineering technicians help solve technical problems in many ways. They build or set up equipment, conduct experiments, collect data, and calculate results. They might also help to make a model of new equipment. Some technicians work in quality control, checking products, tests, and collecting data. In manufacturing, they help to design and develop products. They also find ways to produce things efficiently. There are multiple fields in this job such as; software design, repair, etc. They may also be people who produce technical drawings or engineering drawings. Engineering technicians are responsible for using the theories and principles of science, engineering, and mathematics to solve problems and come up with solutions in the research, design, development,


id: engineering-technologist-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineering_technologist-0.md
category: reference
title: Engineering technologist
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineering_technologist
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:41.853196+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: engineering-technologist-20260505-0
summary:
An engineering technologist is a professional trained in certain aspects of development and implementation of a respective area of technology. An education in engineering technology concentrates more on application and less on theory than does an engineering education. Engineering technologists often assist engineers; but after years of experience, they can also become engineers. Like engineers, areas where engineering technologists can work include product design, fabrication, and testing. Engineering technologists sometimes rise to senior management positions in industry or become entrepreneurs. Engineering technologists are more likely than engineers to focus on post-development implementation, product manufacturing, or operation of technology. The American National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) makes the distinction that engineers are trained in conceptual skills, to "function as designers", while engineering technologists "apply others' designs". The mathematics and sciences, as well as other technical courses, in engineering technology programs, are taught with more application-based examples, whereas engineering coursework provides a more theoretical foundation in math and science. Moreover, engineering coursework tends to require higher-level mathematics including calculus and calculus-based theoretical science courses, as well as more extensive knowledge of the natural sciences, which serves to prepare students for research (whether in graduate studies or industrial R&D) as opposed to


id: engineering-technologist-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineering_technologist-1.md
category: reference
title: Engineering technologist
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineering_technologist
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:41.853196+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: engineering-technologist-20260505-0
summary:
=== Canada === In Canada, the new occupational category of "technologist" was established in the 1960s, in conjunction with an emerging system of community colleges and technical institutes. It was designed to effectively bridge the gap between the increasingly theoretical nature of engineering degrees and the predominantly practical approach of technician and trades programs. Provincial associations may certify individuals as a professional technologist (P.Tech.), certified engineering technologist (C.E.T.), registered engineering technologist (R.E.T.), applied science technologist (AScT), or technologue professionel (T.P.). These provincial associations are constituent members of Technology Professionals Canada (TPC), which accredits technology programs across Canada, through its Technology Accreditation Canada (TAC). Nationally accredited engineering technology programs range from two to three years in length, depending on the province, and often require as many classroom hours as a 4-year degree program. === United States === In the United States, the U.S. Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) are at the top of the educational accreditation hierarchy. The U.S. Department of Education acknowledges regional and national accreditation and CHEA recognizes specialty accreditation. One technology accreditation is currently recognized by CHEA: The Association of Technology, Management and Applied Engineering (ATMAE). CHEA recognizes ATMAE for accrediting associate,


id: engineering-technologist-20260505-2
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineering_technologist-2.md
category: reference
title: Engineering technologist
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineering_technologist
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:41.853196+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: engineering-technologist-20260505-0
summary:
writing a technical report, based upon their experience and demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of engineering principles; earning the City and Guilds graduate diploma (bachelors level) and a postgraduate diploma (masters level) accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE); following a work-based learning program; or taking an academic program specified by the institution to which they are applying. === Germany – European Union === ==== Engineering technologist / state-certified engineer ==== The engineering technologist (state-certified technician; German: Staatlich geprüfter Techniker) are vocational (non-academic) qualifications at the tertiary level in Germany. The degree is governed by the framework agreement of trade and technical schools (resolution of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the states in the Federal Republic of Germany of 7 November 2002 in its respective applicable version) and is recognised by all states of the Federal Republic of Germany. It is awarded after passing state examinations at state or state-recognised technical school or academies (German: Fachschule/Fachakademie). Through the Vocational Training Modernisation Act (12.12.2019), state-certified engineers are also allowed to hold the title Bachelor Professional in Technik as of 1 January


id: geneticist-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneticist-0.md
category: reference
title: Geneticist
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneticist
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:43.065721+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: geneticist-20260505-0
summary:
A geneticist is a biologist or physician who studies genetics, the science of genes, heredity, and variation of organisms. A geneticist can be employed as a scientist or a lecturer. Geneticists may perform general research on genetic processes or develop genetic technologies to aid in the pharmaceutical or and agriculture industries. Some geneticists perform experiments in model organisms such as Drosophila, C. elegans, zebrafish, rodents or humans and analyze data to interpret the inheritance of biological traits. A basic science geneticist is a scientist who usually has earned a PhD in genetics and undertakes research and/or lectures in the field. A medical geneticist is a physician who has been trained in medical genetics as a specialization and evaluates, diagnoses, and manages patients with hereditary conditions or congenital malformations; and provides genetic risk calculations and mutation analysis. == Education == Geneticists participate in courses from many areas, such as biology, chemistry, physics, microbiology, cell biology, bioinformatics, and mathematics. They also participate in more specifie genetics courses such as molecular genetics, transmission genetics, population genetics, quantitative genetics, ecological genetics, epigenetics, and genomics. == Careers == Geneticists can work in many different fields, doing a variety of jobs. There are many careers for


id: geographer-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographer-0.md
category: reference
title: Geographer
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographer
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:44.365941+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: geographer-20260505-0
summary:
A geographer is a physical scientist, social scientist or humanist whose area of study is geography, the study of Earth's natural environment and human society, including how society and nature interact. The Greek prefix "geo" means "earth" and the Greek suffix, "graphy", meaning "description", so a geographer is someone who studies the earth. The word "geography" is a Middle French word that is believed to have been first used in 1540. Although geographers are historically known as people who make maps, map making is actually the field of study of cartography, a subset of geography. Geographers do not study only the details of the natural environment or human society, but they also study the reciprocal relationship between these two. For example, they study how the natural environment contributes to human society and how human society affects the natural environment. In particular, physical geographers study the natural environment while human geographers study human society and culture. Some geographers are practitioners of GIS (geographic information system) and are often employed by local, state, and federal government agencies as well as in the private sector by environmental and engineering firms. The paintings by Johannes Vermeer titled The Geographer and The Astronomer are both


id: geologist-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geologist-0.md
category: reference
title: Geologist
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geologist
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:45.660060+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: geologist-20260505-0
summary:
A geologist is a scientist who studies the structure, composition, and history of Earth. Geologists incorporate techniques from physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, and geography to perform research in the field and the laboratory. Geologists work in the energy and mining sectors to exploit natural resources. They monitor environmental hazards such as earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis and landslides. Geologists are also important contributors to climate change discussions. == History == James Hutton is often viewed as the first modern geologist. In 1785 he showed a paper titled Theory of the Earth to the Royal Society of Edinburgh. In his paper, he explained his theory that the Earth must be much older than had previously been supposed to allow enough time for mountains to be eroded and for sediments to form new rocks at the bottom of the sea, which in turn were raised up to become dry land. Hutton published a two-volume version of his ideas in 1795 (Vol. 1, Vol. 2). Followers of Hutton were known as Plutonists because they believed that some rocks were formed by vulcanism, which is the deposition of lava from volcanoes, as opposed to the Neptunists, led by Abraham Werner, who believed that all rocks had


id: geologist-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geologist-1.md
category: reference
title: Geologist
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geologist
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:45.660060+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: geologist-20260505-0
summary:
Economic geology: the study of ore genesis, and the mechanisms of ore creation, geostatistics. Engineering geology: application of the geologic sciences to engineering practice for the purpose of assuring that the geologic factors affecting the location, design, construction, operation and maintenance of engineering works are recognized and adequately provided for; Geophysics: the applied branch deals with the application of physical methods such as gravity, seismicity, electricity, magnetic properties to study the earth. Geochemistry: the applied branch deals with the study of the chemical makeup and behaviour of rocks, and the study of the behaviour of their minerals. Geochronology: the study of isotope geology specifically toward determining the date within the past of rock formation, metamorphism, mineralization and geological events (notably, meteorite impacts). Geomorphology: the study of landforms and the processes that create them. Hydrogeology: the study of the origin, occurrence and movement of groundwater water in a subsurface geological system. Igneous petrology: the study of igneous processes such as igneous differentiation, fractional crystallization, intrusive and volcanological phenomena. Isotope geology: the case of the isotopic composition of rocks to determine the processes of rock and planetary formation. Metamorphic petrology: the study of the effects of metamorphism on minerals and rocks. Marine


id: geoprofessions-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoprofessions-0.md
category: reference
title: Geoprofessions
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoprofessions
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:56.503946+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: geoprofessions-20260505-0
summary:
"Geoprofessions" is a term coined by the Geoprofessional Business Association to connote various technical disciplines that involve engineering, earth and environmental services applied to below-ground ("subsurface"), ground-surface, and ground-surface-connected conditions, structures, or formations. The principal disciplines include, as major categories: geomatics engineering geotechnical engineering; geology and engineering geology; geological engineering; geophysics; geophysical engineering; environmental science and environmental engineering; construction-materials engineering and testing; and other geoprofessional services. Each discipline involves specialties, many of which are recognized through professional designations that governments and societies or associations confer based upon a person's education, training, experience, and educational accomplishments. In the United States, engineers must be licensed in the state or territory where they practice engineering. Most states license geologists and several license environmental "site professionals." Several states license engineering geologists and recognize geotechnical engineering through a geotechnical-engineering titling act. == Geotechnical-engineering specialties == Although geotechnical engineering is applied for a variety of purposes, it is essential to foundation design. As such, geotechnical engineering is applicable to every existing or new structure on the planet; every building and every highway, bridge, tunnel, harbor, airport, water line, reservoir, or other public work. Commonly, the geotechnical-engineering service comprises a study of subsurface conditions using various sampling,


id: geoprofessions-20260505-1
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoprofessions-1.md
category: reference
title: Geoprofessions
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoprofessions
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:56.503946+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: geoprofessions-20260505-0
summary:
Engineering geologist. (a) Elements of the engineering geologist specialty. The practice of engineering geology involves the interpretation, evaluation, analysis, and application of geological information and data to civil works. Geotechnical soil and rock units are designated, characterized, and classified, using standard engineering soil and rock classification systems. Relationships are interpreted between landform development, current and past geologic processes, ground and surface water, and the strength characteristics of soil and rock. Processes evaluated include both surficial processes (for example, slope, fluvial, and coastal processes), and deep-seated processes (for example, volcanic activity and seismicity). Geotechnical zones or domains are designated based on soil and rocked geological strength characteristics, common landforms, related geologic processes, or other pertinent factors. Proposed developmental modifications are evaluated and, where appropriate, analyzed to predict potential or likely changes in types and rates of surficial geologic processes. Proposed modifications may include such things as vegetation removal, using various types of earth materials in construction, applying loads to shallow or deep foundations, constructing cut or fill slopes and other grading, and modifying ground and surface water flow. The effects of surficial and deep-seated geologic processes are evaluated and analyzed to predict their potential effect on public health, public safety, land


id: geoprofessions-20260505-2
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoprofessions-2.md
category: reference
title: Geoprofessions
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoprofessions
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:56.503946+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: geoprofessions-20260505-0
summary:
Environmental science and environmental engineering are the geoprofessions commonly associated with the identification, remediation, and prevention of environmental contamination. These services range from phase-one and phase-two environmental site-assessments – research designed to assess the likelihood that a property is contaminated and subsurface exploration conducted to identify the nature and extent of contamination, respectively – up through the design of processes and systems to remediate contaminated sites for the protection of human health and the environment. Environmental geology is one of the principal geoprofessions engaged in assessing and remediating contaminated sites. Environmental geologists help identify the subsurface stratigraphy in which contaminants are located and through which they migrate. Environmental chemistry is the geoprofession that encompasses the study of chemical compounds in the soil. These compounds are categorized as pollutants or contaminants when introduced into the environment by human factors (e.g., waste, mining processes, radioactive release) and are not of natural origin. Environmental chemistry assesses interactions or these compounds with soil, rock, and water to determine their fate and transport, the techniques to measure the levels of contaminants in the environment, and technologies to destroy or reduce the toxicity of contaminants in wastes or compounds that have been released to the environment.


id: geoprofessions-20260505-3
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoprofessions-3.md
category: reference
title: Geoprofessions
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoprofessions
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:56.503946+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: geoprofessions-20260505-0
summary:
== Construction-materials engineering and testing (CoMET) == Construction-materials engineering and testing (CoMET) comprises an array of licensed-engineer-directed professional services applied principally for purposes of construction quality assurance and quality control. CoMET services commonly are provided as a separate discipline by firms that also practice geotechnical engineering, possibly among other geoprofessional disciplines. The geoprofessional-service industry has evolved in this manner because geotechnical engineering employs the observational method. Karl von Terzaghi and Ralph B. Peck – the creators of modern geotechnical engineering – used the observational method and multiple working hypotheses to expedite and economize the subsurface-exploration process, by using sampling and testing to form a judgment about subsurface conditions, and then observing excavated conditions and materials to confirm or modify those judgments and related recommendations, and then finalize them. To economize still further, geoprofessionals educated and trained paraprofessionals to represent them on site (hence the term "field representative"), especially to apply their judgment (much as a geotechnical engineer would) in comparing observed conditions with those the geotechnical engineer believed would exist. Over time, geotechnical engineers expanded their CoMET services by providing the additional education and training their field representatives needed to evaluate constructors' attainment of conditions commonly specified by geoprofessionals; e.g.,


id: geoprofessions-20260505-4
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoprofessions-4.md
category: reference
title: Geoprofessions
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoprofessions
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:56.503946+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: geoprofessions-20260505-0
summary:
Many of the CoMET services performed for construction projects are performed for environmental projects as well, but requirements tend to be less rigid because they involve fewer licensing and related requirements. For example, individuals may perform federally mandated all-appropriate inquiries – typically a phase-one environmental site assessment – without a license of any kind.


id: geoprofessions-20260505-5
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoprofessions-5.md
category: reference
title: Geoprofessions
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoprofessions
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:56.503946+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: geoprofessions-20260505-0
summary:
== Other geoprofessional services == To the extent that archeology and paleontology require systematic subsurface excavation to recover artifacts, they, too, are considered geoprofessions. Many geoprofessional-services firms offer these services to those of their clients that need to satisfy federal and/or state regulations that require paleontological and/or archeological inquiry before site development or redevelopment activities can proceed. == See also == List of geology journals List of mining journals == References == Bates and Jackson. (1980) Glossary of Geology. 2nd ed., American Geological Institute. ISBN 0-913312-15-0. Bowles, J. (1988) Foundation Analysis and Design. McGraw-Hill Publishing Company. ISBN 0-07-006776-7. Burger, H. Robert, Sheehan, Anne F., and Jones, Craig H. (2006) Introduction to Applied Geophysics : Exploring the Shallow Subsurface. New York: W.W. Norton. ISBN 0-393-92637-0. Cedergren, Harry R. (1977) Seepage, Drainage, and Flow Nets. Wiley. ISBN 0-471-14179-8. Chen, W-F and Scawthorn, C. (2003) Earthquake Engineering Handbook. CRC Press, ISBN 0-8493-0068-1 Das, Braja M. (2006) Principles of Geotechnical Engineering. England: THOMSON LEARNING (KY). ISBN 0-534-55144-0. Fang, H.-Y. and Daniels, J. (2005) Introductory Geotechnical Engineering: an Environmental Perspective. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 0-415-30402-4. Faure, Gunter. (1998) Principles and Applications of Geochemistry: a Comprehensive Textbook for Geology Students. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall. ISBN


id: government-scientist-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_scientist-0.md
category: reference
title: Government scientist
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_scientist
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:57.823899+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: government-scientist-20260505-0
summary:
A government scientist is a scientist employed by a country's government, either in a research-driven job (for example J. Robert Oppenheimer on the Manhattan Project), or for another role that requires scientific training and methods. In some countries other terms, such as Technical officers, is also used for scientists. == Australia == In Australia, most government scientists are employed by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. A Chief Scientist is appointed to advise the government through the Office of the Chief Scientist. == Singapore == In Singapore, government scientists are classified according to the Departmental Titles (Alteration) (Amendment) Act 1996, which amended the Departmental Titles (Alteration) Ordinance of 1950. == United Kingdom == In the United Kingdom, government scientists are part of the Scientific Civil Service. However, that was not always the case. Before the Second World War, government scientists were recruited and employed by the Civil Service on an ad hoc basis, with grades, job titles, and organizations that varied between departments. In 1930, the Carpenter Committee was appointed to investigate the organization of civil service scientific and technical staff, and its report proposed a reorganization that covered the entire Service. This report was endorsed by the Tomlin


id: healthcare-scientist-20260505-0
file: data/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthcare_scientist-0.md
category: reference
title: Healthcare scientist
tags: science, encyclopedia
source_url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthcare_scientist
date_saved: 2026-05-05T06:30:59.129604+00:00
instance: kb-cron
parent: healthcare-scientist-20260505-0
summary:
A healthcare scientist (HCS), or medical scientist, is a scientist working in any of a number of health related disciplines. Healthcare scientists may work directly for health service providers, or in academia or industry. Healthcare scientists typically refers to those contributing directly to clinical services, and not scientists working solely in health related research and development. == Disciplines == Boundaries between healthcare science and other related fields are not strictly defined. There are more than 50 different specialisms. Healthcare scientists work in clinical bioinformatics, life sciences, physical sciences and physiological sciences. A non-exhaustive list of healthcare science roles is below. Medical physicist Biomedical scientist Audiologist Clinical cytogeneticist Clinical embryologist Neurophysiological scientist Vascular scientist Cardiac scientist == Organization == Regulation and organization of healthcare scientists varies significantly from country to country, and from discipline to discipline. === Europe === ==== United Kingdom ==== There are over 50,000 healthcare scientists working in the NHS. Biomedical Scientist and Clinical scientist are a protected title in the United Kingdom, requiring state registration. The Health and Care Professions Council holds the register and regulates the profession. The main routes to registration and training are through courses run by the Institute of Biomedical Science or the


