SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " Ky " 8,098 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Explore Backyard Ecosystems at APSU’s Science on Tap October 6th - Clarksville Online - Clarksville News, Sports, Events and Information
Clarksville, TN - The Austin Peay State University (APSU) College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics will host Science on Tap on Tuesday,
1 in 8 cancer cases are caused by infections, underscoring the importance of vaccines, experts say
Four pathogens account for most infection-related cancers, a new study highlights, but the tools to prevent them range from well-established vaccines to treatments still under development.
Scientists studying cockroach milk and nose-blowing win Ig Nobel prizes for quirky science
Researchers have been honored for their quirky, imaginative contributions to science at the 36th annual Ig Nobel Prizes. Thursday's ceremony was held for the first time outside the U.S. Ten
49ers’ Kyle Shanahan Set to Make History Against Broncos
Kyle Shanahan is about to etch his name into San Francisco 49ers history. It’s arriving faster than it might seem.Shanahan Set to Pass Bill Walsh on the 49ers’ All-Time ListHeading into Week 4 against the Denver Broncos, Shanahan will surpass legendary coach Bill Walsh for the most games as San Francisco’s head coach. He’ll reach […] The post 49ers’ Kyle Shanahan Set to Make History Against Broncos appeared first on HEAVY.
Governor candidate Bernadette Wilson has been sued repeatedly over unpaid bills, records show
Alaska judges have ordered the Republican candidate to pay thousands of dollars for overdue business and personal debts.
Beloved Philadelphia Science Museum Closes After 198 Years
Generations of Philadelphia families walked through the Academy of Natural Sciences to see dinosaurs, dioramas, and specimens collected from around the world. After nearly 200 years, those museum door...
Can Skydance CEO David Ellison Make Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger Fly?
David Ellison has to prove the merged Paramount-Warner Bros., dubbed Skydance, can become a profitable Hollywood powerhouse amid its massive debt.
Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson were ’gnawing’ on wood for ‘Verity’ sex scene
The ‘Verity’ cast and crew broke down for Entertainment Weekly how they brought the ‘kinky’ bed frame bite marks to life for the film.
David Ellison just brought in a co-CEO to run his new empire: Meet Ynon Kreiz
Ynon Kreiz's appointment as co-CEO of Skydance answers a key governance question for Ellison's soon-to-be-merged company.
ABS-CBN News
The entertainment, creative, and lifestyle industry mourn the passing of Monchet Diokno Olives or more commonly known as the “Fanman.” Full story link in the comments section.
Public Health Director Chris Crum honored by KHDA
GREENUP, Ky. — Greenup County Health Department recently announced that Public Health Director Chris Crum was selected as the recipient of the Kentucky Health Departments Association Lifetime Achievement Award.
NICK STROBEL: Saturn and its rings on display
Tonight Saturn is at opposition, appearing opposite the sun in our sky. This happens as we pass by Saturn in our faster, inner orbit. This also marks the time when
Henderson County loses close game to George Rogers Clark
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) — After trailing 21-7 at halftime, Henderson County high school football team battled back against George Rogers Clark to lose in the end 53-48. Next the Colonels will travel to Christian County to take on the Tigers.
New UPS Store open in Cold Spring and Jesse Procter is ready for business
By Andy Furman NKyTribune staff writer Jesse Procter wanted a change of pace. “I wanted something exciting where I could meet people and serve their needs,” he told the Northern Kentucky Tribune.
Home Team Friday: Week 7
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) — Don’t miss out on our weekly coverage of high school football in the Tri-State. Home Team Friday airs every Friday night at 10:35 CT on ABC 25. Watch the videos below to see the full show: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4
Stunning comeback as Valkyries erase 16-point deficit to down Wings, advance to semifinals
The Golden State Valkyries, who fell behind by 16 on in the decisive game of their playoff series with the Dallas Wings, rallied to win 77-73. They will face the Las Vegas Aces in the semifinals.
10/2 Gridiron Glory
PADUCAH, Ky. — Check out the scores and highlights from week 7 of Gridiron Glory below.
Flagstaff Science Festival highlights 25 years as dark sky city
The Flagstaff Science Festival, the nation’s longest-running free science festival, continues this weekend.
Flagstaff Science Festival highlights 25 years as dark sky city
The Flagstaff Science Festival, the nation’s longest-running free science festival, continues this weekend.
Paul Reubens' Big Auction to feature more than 400 items
Pee-wee Herman's iconic suit and bow tie, quirky furniture, annotated scripts and signed memorabilia will be among the 400-plus items sold at Paul Reubens' Big Auction.
Japan's entertainment robots diversify with AI, offer comfort
The range of home entertainment robots is becoming increasingly diverse in Japan, with some providing emotional comfort like pets, and others serving as fashion accessories due to their cute appearance.
Book Talk: Curl up with one of 2026’s thrilling mysteries
As Denton enters spooky season, Book Talk columnist Jean Greenlaw rounds up mysteries and thrillers from this year.
APSU’s Science on Tap to explore backyard ecosystems on Oct. 6
Austin Peay State University's College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics will host Science on Tap.
Results are in for LIA’s Entertainment & Content and Cultural Catalyst: TBWA\HAKUHODO wins Gold
The Entertainment & Content and Cultural Catalyst results are in, led by TBWA\HAKUHODO Inc., Tokyo winning a Gold and Bronze for Tokyo Metropolitan Government's 'Cheer Signs'.
David Ellison's Skydance is a pretty name. What it stands for isn't
By naming the product of two mergers Skydance, David Ellison relegates two of Hollywood's founding studios to a sub-brand stew and attempts to erase a bunch of controversial hires.
Irish Sea Moss Is Making Waves. The Science is Actually Pretty Murky.
Irish Sea moss supplements are all the rage with a billion-dollar industry that expects consumer demand to continue rising. While the superfood is packed with different nutrients, there is a high risk of ingesting heavy metals.
Louisville, Kentucky athletes ineligible after Court of Appeals ruling
The group of athletes now ruled ineligible includes two UofL basketball players, two UofL football players and one UK football player.
Science Hill Independent Superintendent Matt Cook building more professional learning communities in the district
Science Hill Independent Superintendent Matt Cook stands with Science Hill students at the district’s annual Constitution Day Parade in September. Photo courtesy Matt Cook. The new superintendent of Science Hill Independent, Matt Cook, is focusing on building more
Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery will be called Skydance
David Ellison, CEO of Paramount Skydance, speaks during CinemaCon 2026 on April 16, 2026, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (David Becker/Getty Images for CinemaCon)
Research roundup: 6 cool science stories we almost missed
Also: Spooky action at the LHC, Ice Age psychoactive use, yeast for building homes on Mars, and more.
NFL Analyst Drops Honest Admission on Vikings QB Kyler Murray
Despite a sluggish start for the league's lowest-ranked offense, insiders predict Kyler Murray will finally ignite against Miami to silence critics and secure a dominant 4-0 start.
Kentucky Wesleyan to present Ellie Magnuson Lecture in Literature and Science: “The Power of Still Becoming: Using Reflection and Writing to Evolve”
OWENSBORO, Ky. -- Stacy Hawkins Adams will present the Ellie Magnuson Lecture in Literature and Science on Sat...
Parliamentary government and political competition are the oldest traditions in Russian politics. Where did they come from, and why did they disappear? Writer Mikhail Zygar explains in a new film.
It’s hard to believe today, but Rus’ had a parliament before Britain did and a woman with the political stature of a prime minister five centuries before Margaret Thatcher. The Novgorod Republic was a state in which the prince was a hired manager, major decisions were made by the veche or popular assembly, and political culture resembled that of Western Europe in many ways. In his new film, Mikhail Zygar explains how this system emerged, why it lost out to Moscow, and why Vladimir Putin is so fond of Alexander Nevsky.
Paramount, Warner Bros. will be named Skydance after merger
David Ellison said the merged Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery will be called Skydance — the moniker he picked nearly two decades ago when the tech scion began building his
Finding sisterhood through sports: Kate Burgess’ career as a field hockey goalie
Kate Burgess remembers dodging tennis balls as her older sister, Reanne Burgess, shot them in their backyard in Holden, Massachusetts.
Sandusky County Public Health reports West Nile virus case
The infected person resides in Vickery and is the first human case of West Nile virus in Sandusky County since 2016.
How Optum, Owensboro Health teamed up to build a virtual nursing program
Kentucky-based Owensboro Health is teaming up with Optum Insight to pair bedside nurses with virtual nurses, freeing up frontline clinicians to dedicate more time to patient care. | Owensboro Health is teaming up with Optum Insight to pair bedside nurses with virtual nurses to free up frontline clinicians to dedicate more time to patient care.
How a Chicago educator uses food to teach science thanks to Pilot Light, a local chef-led nonprofit
At least once a month, Rita Leary incorporates food into a science lesson at Ashburn Community Elementary School. On a recent Thursday, it was all about honey. Sticky, sweet, viscous,
Jennifer Lawrence Gets Her 'One Month Mark' Director In Gene Stupnitsky
Jennifer Lawrence will reunite with her No Hard Feelings director Gene Stupnitsky for the new romantic comedy One Month Mark.
CBS announces Tony Romo's permanent exit following arrest for operating a vehicle while intoxicated
CBS Sports and Tony Romo have officially parted ways one month after the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback pleaded no contest to charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated | KYW Newsradio
Show-Me-State Politics: SNAP changes impacting Missouri; November’s busy ballot
KY3’s Tyler Wayne and KY3 Missouri Capitol Bureau Chief Hannah Falcon look at this week in Missouri politics.
Skydance Is New Name for Paramount-Warner Bros. Company
Paramount and Warner Bros. will operate under the Skydance corporate name as the companies prepare to complete their $111 billion merger.
TLFF 2026 winners announced
Twelve Lions Film Festival wrapped up another year at The Kentucky Theatre Sept. 25-27 with a variety of films from around the state, country and world.
Everything Paramount will own as Skydance
What brands and IP are impacted by the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger?
Beshear, Calipari share the stage in Arkansas during KY governor’s book tour
The two discussed Gov. Andy Beshear’s veto of Senate Bill 150 in 2023.
New name of Paramount-Warner Bros. revealed
CEO David Ellison announced that the merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. will result in Skydance ahead of the official deal closure on Oct. 6.
🛫Real Madrid ease fears after Mbappé’s trip to Paris
Real Madrid has moved to dispel any hint of controversy, stating that Kylian Mbappé’s trip to the French capital was fully agreed upon between the player and the club. Unable to train or receive tr...
Science Spooktacular At Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds Oct. 31
Science, technology, engineering and math are getting a spooky twist this Halloween.
Brittany Broski, aka ‘kombucha girl,’ is coming to Eastern KY. How to get tickets
Her celebrity talk show, “Royal Court,” boasts some of the most renowned faces and references in pop culture.
Tankards, Clough & 'creaky joints'
More than three decades since its last staging, Scottish football's cult indoor event makes a comeback with the "creaky joints" of former players taking to an ice rink.
Miranda Lambert returns with country-disco album 'Crisco,' a set of songs that have 'a lot of joy'
Miranda Lambert has entered her disco era with her new album, “Crisco,” set to release Friday | KYW Newsradio
Are hypernovas real?
Uneven supernova explosions may explain the unusual mix of elements in Milky Way stars once thought to be evidence of hypernovas.
Tom Cruise's latest risky business
Tom Cruise doesn't play things safe. Yes, obviously, I'm referring to him hanging off assorted aircraft and other insane things he does in his cinematic stunt-o-ramas.
Tom Cruise's latest risky business
Tom Cruise doesn't play things safe. Yes, obviously, I'm referring to him hanging off assorted aircraft and other insane things he does in his cinematic stunt-o-ramas. But in his 45-year history in Hollywood, Cruise has done a lot of different roles and navigated through various reinventions.
Cristante to miss Como match, at risk vs Real Madrid
Confirmation has arrived regarding Bryan Cristante’s condition, following previous rumors. The Roma midfielder will miss the away match against Como due to serious knee inflammation. Sky Sport repor...
Paramount’s Warner Bros. megamerger will just be called Skydance
David Ellison doesn’t want a ‘new corporate identity’ to overshadow Warner Bros. and Paramount’s brands.
Paramount, Warner Bros. combine as new entity Skydance, David Ellison announces
He announced the updated on X
New Paramount Warner Bros. Name is Skydance, David Ellison Says
Paramount and Warner Bros. will exist as sub-brands in the larger corporate brand.
Denzel Bentley signs with Zuffa Boxing and will fight Shane Mosley Jr at Copper Box Arena on November 7 live on Sky Sports
Denzel Bentley will fight Shane Mosley Jr on November 7, live on Sky Sports; Bentley has signed a multi-fight promotional deal with Zuffa Boxing and his clash with Mosley Jr will take place on Zuffa Boxing 12, headlined by Chris Billam-Smith vs Cheavon Clarke
$10M gift helps launch new sports, entertainment, enterprise program
There was just enough room on the oversized check for all the zeroes. Seven of them, marking one of the larger philanthropic commitments in N.C. Wesleyan University's history.
Affordability is on voters’ minds in Pa. swing districts as the cost of gas and groceries skyrockets
The cost of living is the rise as the war in Iran continues. That could hurt Trump-aligned incumbents in key Pennsylvania swing districts.
Patient Dies by Suicide After ‘Insurance Issue’ Delayed Medicine for Lung Disease Flare-Ups
Hours after experiencing a flare-up related to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Kenney Blewett of Kyle, Texas, died by suicide in June. A medication his doctor prescribed days earlier to ease his breathing problems hadn’t been filled due to an “insurance issue,” his pharmacy explained via email.
Pittsburgh Steelers 24-27 Cleveland Browns: Deshaun Watson leads game-winning drive to set up field goal in final seconds
Deshaun Watson led another game-winning drive while Andre Szmyt landed a career-long field goal in the last 10 seconds for the Cleveland Browns to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-24; Aaron Rodgers Rodgers completed 22 of 40 passes for 299 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions
Scientists have detected radio signals from a planet beyond our Solar System | BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Discovery marks the first time a radio signal has been confirmed as coming from a single planet rather than an entire system.
Bay Area sports calendar, Oct. 2-4
The Valkyries look to advance in the WNBA playoffs with a win over the Dallas Wings in Game 3 of their first-round series on Friday night at 6 p.m. (ESPN2)
Kauai small businesses still waiting for financial aid after Hurricane Lowell
Nearly a month after Hurricane Lowell devastated Kauai, struggling businesses are still waiting for help with unemployment numbers skyrocketing every week. Meanwhile, an application portal that was supposed to go
Kentucky flu cases trending up as health departments stock up on vaccines
Statewide flu numbers are trending up slightly, while COVID-19 cases are flattening out after an earlier increase.
GRCC English and Science Students Attended the Detroit River Story Lab
By Kyle Jackson On Saturday, Sept. 26, The Collegiate was invited to join the Grand Rapids Community College English Department on a trip to Detroit to take part in the University of Michigan’s Detroit River Schooner Program. The program itself, run by U-M’s College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA), has literature and science […]
Business in Northern Kentucky badly damaged after car crashes into it
A business in Northern Kentucky was severely damaged after a car crashed into it on Thursday.
Health policy experts weigh in on ACA refund checks
The refund checks come as health insurance costs have skyrocketed for many people after the enhanced ACA tax credits expired.
Reince Priebus: Minnesota is always a little quirky when it comes to politics
Fox News political analyst Reince Priebus outlines the paths to victory in a tight Minnesota U.S. Senate race on ‘America’s Newsroom.’
Halle Berry’s ex Olivier Martinez accuses her of child abuse, seeks restraining order
Olivier Martinez has accused his ex, Halle Berry, of abusing their 12-year-old son Maceo, and is seeking a temporary restraining order against her.
Big Pride Littleton returns for third installment
While spooky season has begun, and many parts of town are decked with ghosts and skeletons, Main Street will don rainbows on Oct. 10 — to celebrate the third Big
Texas A&M Looks To Extend Arkansas Dominance At Kyle Field
Texas A&M returns home trying to stop a two-game skid and beat Arkansas for a fifth straight time in a rivalry the Aggies have dominated since 2012.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Razorbacks coach John Calipari talk politics and basketball during appearance in Little Rock
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear spoke with John Calipari, the head coach of the University of Arkansas men's basketball team, during an appearance in Little Rock on Thursday.
BLINK announces headline performance ahead of 2026 festival
There are 92 participating artists this year, representing 20 countries. Thirty artists hail from Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.
10 things to do around the Seattle area this weekend
From wacky pizza combos to a handmade sculpture race, here are the latest local things to do around the Seattle area.
Arkansas, Kentucky each awarded $10M grants for maternal health efforts
A nonprofit founded by philanthropist Olivia Walton announced Thursday it is awarding $10 million grants to Arkansas and Kentucky to improve maternal health in rural communities.
McDowell Mountain Elementary students to attend Wacky Science assembly
McDowell Mountain Elementary School students will get a hands-on science lesson Friday morning, Oct. 2, when educational performer Graham Rogers brings his “Wacky Science” assembly to the school, …
Affordable entertainment just steps off Moab's Main Street: Backyard Theater turns 13
Moab's Backyard Theater turns 13 with free Wednesday bluegrass and Rick Boretti's Saturday magic show, kept going by donations and a magician's rent.
Mass. native, Good Morning America correspondent reveals cancer battle: ‘It’s shocking’
A Mass. native and Good Morning America correspondent is opening up about a health battle he kept private for months.
GOP hold on Florida and Texas governors’ races weakens, nonpartisan analyst says
President Donald Trump’s poor ratings contributed to the Cook Political Report shifting both races from “Likely Republican” to “Lean Republican.”
Physicists unveil the most accurate atomic clock ever — and it could literally redefine the second
Physicists have used radioactive lutetium to create what they say is the most accurate atomic clock ever, keeping time perfectly up to 19 decimal places.
Immigration, inflation, Iran: WA candidates for open Congress seat debate
From the first question of a debate Wednesday night, John Duresky and Amanda McKinney sparred over big issues in Washington's 4th Congressional District.
Invincible VS DLC character Angstrom Levy launches October 13
Publisher Skybound Games and developer Quarter Up will release three-versus-three tag fighting game Invincible VS downloadable content character Angstrom Levy on October 13 as part of the game̵…
Microsoft executives Peter Lee, president of Microsoft Science, and EVP Ryan Roslansky to depart
Two top Microsoft executives shared this week that they're leaving the Redmond, Wash., tech giant: Peter Lee, the former head of Microsoft Research, and Ryan Roslansky, Microsoft executive vice president overseeing both LinkedIn and Microsoft Office.
Kyle Richards Shows Her Support for Morgan Wade As She Reflects on Her Health Journey
Kyle Richards showed her support for her friend, Morgan Wade, after the latter reflected on her health journey. Read on for more info.
Demon Star and Witch's Head kick off spooky space season
NASA highlighted a triple-binary system and an eerie nebula.
Kato Elected Science Council Head on Shift to Public Corporation
Tokyo, Oct. 1 (Jiji Press)--The Science Council of Japan elected Kazuto Kato, professor emeritus at the Univer…
Mauricio Umansky reacts to California gubernatorial debate, local politics
Stuart Varney hosts The Agency Founder and CEO Mauricio Umansky to discuss the California gubernatorial debate between Steve Hilton and Xavier Becerra. They analyze housing issues, red tape and the Los Angeles mayoral race.
Entertainment this week: Party in the Sky, A Liar’s Cruise and more
Thursday, October 1 Football Fun at Alibi – 12-9 p.m., Alibi Ale Works – Truckee Public House, 10069 Bridge St. Watch football at Alibi. Come save your spot and get some beer for every NFL...
One Of My Favorite Block Pushers Is Finally Coming To Switch
Isles of Sea and Sky is a fantastic little sokoban that it's time everyone stopped sleeping on
Citizen science project recruits volunteers to search for undiscovered black holes
Cosmic detectives are being called on for an interstellar mission to hunt down thousands of invisible black holes lurking in our own backyard. Space scientists from the University of Southampton need ...
Packers turn to Skyy Moore after Jayden Reed’s season ending injury
The Green Bay Packers will have to move forward without Jayden Reed for the rest of the season, but they already have a short term plan in place. If that approach fails to provide enough production, Green Bay still has other options it can explore later in the year. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur addressed [...]
12 spooky new movies and shows to watch this Halloween, from 'Carrie' to 'Clayface'
Whether you want jump scares, psychological thrills or something the whole family can handle, October's lineup has you covered.
Big E Extra: Ice Cube
In this episode, we speak with John Juliano with Mellowship Entertainment about the many musical acts coming to The Big E
Good science requires much more than evidence
Empiricists believe that scientific theories are true only if they make correct empirical predictions: if we can't verify these predictions, then there is no reason to expect that they tell us anything about reality. However, Professor of Philosophy at King's College David Kyle Johnson argues that this is mistaken. In response to Bas van Fraassen, who has written on this subject for the IAI, he argues that we have many reasons for believing a theory to be true, such as it being parsimonious and having large scope — qualities which have been used throughout the history of science as criteria for judging theories. In 2024, Princeton philosopher Bas van Fraassen wrote a short article for IAI News entitled “Science Does not Describe Reality: The Limits and Benefits of Explanation.” At the time, I was working on two projects (a science book and a Great Course) that, when completed, would (among other things) defend science’s ability to describe reality. I wanted to write a response to van Fraassen, but the projects demanded too much of my attention. But now that those projects are complete, I am in a position to explain the objections to van Fraassen’s thesis. Summarizing van Fraassen’s argumentIn a nutshell, his argument is this: What scientists do is make predictions based on theories and then invite others to test to see whether those predictions are borne out. “If theory T is right, result R should happen in experimental condition C.” Many think that running an experiment that shows that R happens in condition C is proof that theory T is true (and should be believed). But, van Fraassen argues, that R happened in condition C is only a reason to think that R happens in condition C. That’s the only observable, or empirical, result we can actually see, so that is all that we are really justified in believing. (The underlying theory that made that prediction still may or may not be true.) That is why he calls those who accept his position “empiricists.”Before I explain what is wrong with this position, let me explain what it gets right. What van Fraassen Gets RightFirst, a theory correctly predicting the results of an experiment is not, strictly speaking, “proof” that the theory is correct. The basic line of reasoning is this:If the theory T is true, result R should happen. Result R did happen. Thus, theory T is true.In other words:“If T then R. R. Thus, T.”This is a deductively invalid, fallacious mode of reasoning, called “affirming the consequent.” Those premises do not guarantee that the conclusion follows. “If I am in Pennsylvania, then I am in the USA. I am in the USA. Thus, I am in Pennsylvania.” Clearly that argument doesn’t guarantee its conclusion; neither does the above argument.However, science is not a deductive method of reasoning; it is an inductive one. And inductive arguments merely try to raise the probability of their conclusion, not “prove” them for certain. Thus, the fact that an experimental result doesn’t prove a theory is true is irrelevant; it’s not supposed to. That is not what scientific reasoning is about.___If the hypothesis that something exists clearly provides the best explanation for what we can observe, then the belief that it exists is what is rational.___Second, it’s also true that a single experimental result doesn’t provide enough justification to believe that a theory is true. Scientists do not come to a consensus about whether a theory is true by looking at a single experiment; they look at all the evidence to determine where the preponderance of evidence points. The mere fact that I am in the USA raises the probability that I am in Pennsylvania, but not nearly enough to conclude that I am in Pennsylvania. However, if I am also regularly encountering people wearing Eagles and Phillies hats and seeing advertisements for Founding Father tours, I probably am. In the same way, a theory successfully predicting the outcome of one experiment is not enough to conclude that it is true; but if a theory makes a wide variety of predictions that are all vindicated by multiple experiments, performed by many different groups and people, all actively trying to prove the theory false (which is what good scientific experiments are designed to do)—that is a good reason to conclude that the theory is true. In other words, if you repeatedly try to prove something false but can’t, that is a very good indication that it isn’t. The problem of underdeterminationIn reply, those whom van Fraassen calls “empiricists” often point to the “problem of underdetermination.” For any given theory that makes successful predictions about what happens in experimental conditions, there are countless other possible theories that make exactly the same predictions—and since they do, the experimental evidence in question is just as much reason to accept any of those theories as it is to accept our original one. Thus, the argument goes, we have no way of knowing whether our original theory is true, or one of the other “predictively equivalent” theories is true. SUGGESTED VIEWING How Occam's Razor changed the world With Johnjoe McFadden As an example of underdetermination, philosophers often offer this example. The evidence of fossils seems to provide reason to conclude that the universe is quite old; ancient fossils are what the “ancient universe” hypothesis predicts. But it’s also possible that God created an ancient-looking universe 200 years ago, complete with a “fake” fossil record for us to find, to make it look old. The existence of fossils is what that theory predicts too. So, the argument goes, the fossil record can’t be used as evidence that the universe is ancient; the fossil record supports the “200-year-old ancient-looking universe” theory just as much. The problem of underdetermination points out that, for any theory with supporting evidence, we could invent another completely different theory that predicts exactly the same evidence, and thus undermine that evidence’s ability to support the original theory.But this “argument from underdetermination” betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of what scientific reasoning is and how it works. To explain, let me use another rather strange (but very real and commonly discussed) philosophical thought experiment called “The Grue Problem.” The “Grue” ProblemSuppose I want to know what color emeralds are, so I observe a few, see that they all appear green, and form the theory that “all emeralds are green.” I thus predict that the next 100 emeralds I find will also appear to be green. And let’s say that happens, and so I thus conclude that my theory that all emeralds are green is true. Now, one might rightly point out that I don’t know for sure that all emeralds are green—I have not seen them all. Maybe some I haven’t found yet are blue. Fair enough. After all, we used to think that all swans were white, until we found some black ones. But let’s say that I go on a quest and collect every emerald in the universe—and, for the sake of the argument, let’s say I can do this, and can even know that I have every one of them. So, I collect them all, look at them all, and verify that they all appear green. Can’t I now rightly conclude that all emeralds are green?Inspired by the problem of underdetermination, a friend might argue that I cannot.Sure, they all appear green now—but there could be another kind of color called “grue.” Something is grue if it is green up to a certain point in time, but then spontaneously turns blue. And there could be an infinite number of “shades” of grue. Something that is one shade of grue will turn blue at noon today, but something that is another shade of grue will turn blue at noon tomorrow, etc. So yes, the emeralds appear green now; and since they haven’t turned blue yet, they are not some “past” shade of grue. But they might be some “future” shade of grue (e.g., they may turn blue at noon tomorrow). And since all future shades of grue are consistent with “being green up to this point in time,” the evidence you have is completely consistent with the notion that all emeralds are some future shade of grue, rather than green. Indeed, that they would appear green until now is what the “some future shade of grue” hypothesis predicts. So, we have just as much reason to conclude that all emeralds are some shade of grue as we do to conclude that they are green.You’re probably thinking “It’s not equally possible that the emeralds are grue; they are obviously green.” You are right! But explaining why your instinctive reaction to my friend’s argument is correct will help inform why van Fraassen’s “empiricist” is wrong and science actually does describe reality.The main mistake my friend makes is in thinking that the “empirical evidence” (of all the emeralds appearing green) is (or even should be) all I am using to draw the conclusion that all emeralds are green. It is not. I am also considering known facts about how colors typically work; things don’t usually change color, and when they do, they don’t do so suddenly, without cause, and all at once. So, even though the simple evidence of the emeralds all appearing green up to this point is consistent with them being some future shade of grue—that is even what the grue hypothesis “predicts”—it is still exceedingly unlikely that they are. The hypothesis that they are green is much more likely. Understanding science refutes the problem of underdetermination The misunderstanding about science that the “empiricist” pointing to “the problem of underdetermination” makes is similar to the one that my friend made. Science is not just about considering experimental evidence; in fact, it’s not even just about considering empirical evidence. As Ernan McMullin and many other philosophers of science have pointed out, the inference that makes science is “inference to the best explanation” (sometimes called “abduction” or “retroduction” by McMullin). While, depending on the circumstances, scientists use many different kinds of reasoning, science as a whole is, simply put, the process of considering multiple competing explanations and comparing them to certain criteria—explanatory criteria (the kinds of things explanations must be and do, by definition, to be a good explanation)—to see which explanation is the best.And these criteria do not deal only with empirical results. Yes, successful predictions raise the probability of a hypothesis, but it’s also the case that the more new assumptions a theory makes, the less likely it is to be true; every new assumption presents an opportunity for the theory to be false. (The fewer assumptions a theory makes, the simpler or “more parsimonious” it is said to be.) Likewise, the more existing evidence a theory contradicts, the less likely it is, because in order for a theory to be true, every piece of evidence it contradicts has to be somehow faulty. (The fewer established theories a new theory contradicts, the more “conservative” it is said to be.) And, obviously, the more something explains, the better explanation it is. (This is called having “scope.”) If a theory raises unanswerable questions, it’s not expanding our understanding, and thus is not wide-scoping. Scientists consider all these things when deciding which theory to accept, because the theory that adheres best to these explanatory criteria is most likely to be true.___the mere fact that a theory’s predictive success is why it “sticks around” or “becomes accepted” in the scientific community is not a reason to be skeptical about its truth.___The reason the grue hypothesis is no good is because it invents an entirely new kind of color—not just a new shade, but an entirely different category of color (a different way colors work)—and thus is not parsimonious. It raises unanswerable questions about how and why emeralds would just spontaneously change from green to blue (and thus does not have wide scope). And it contradicts what is already well established about how color works (and thus is unconservative).The theories that the problem of underdetermination points to do the same thing. Yes, the theory that God created an “ancient-looking universe” (complete with an ancient-looking fossil record) two hundred years ago is also consistent with the empirical evidence (of a fossil record) that presently exists; but that theory is monumentally unparsimonious (it requires many extra assumptions about infinite entities) and not wide-scoping (it raises unanswerable questions about why God would do such a thing). So, I can rationally conclude that it is false.Indeed, the history of science includes many examples of theories that were rejected because they lacked parsimony and/or scope, even before their falsity (and the truth of their competing theory) was confirmed by observation. As I point out in my book, geocentrism was rejected by the scientific community because it lacked parsimony, almost 200 years before the observation of parallax confirmed that the Earth moves around the sun. And the continuum theory of matter was completely rejected by 1860, because it couldn’t explain chemical reactions or organize matter into a periodic table, even though the experiments that eventually confirmed atomic theory weren’t even proposed until the 1870s. Solving the best of a bad lot problemIn response, the “empiricists” are likely to object, this time pointing to the “best of a bad lot” problem. “We have no reason to conclude that an explanation that has been shown to be better than others is true because we have no guarantee that the true theory was among those that we were considering.” If you have a “lot” (a collection) of poor explanations, even the best one is not true.The responses to this problem, however, are numerous. Peter Lipton argues that the set of hypotheses that scientists consider are not just randomly selected and thus unlikely to contain a theory that is true; they use existing knowledge to home in on what is most likely to be true. A doctor trying to explain abdominal pain is not going to bother wondering whether demons are causing it; they are going to stick with things like appendicitis and kidney stones, because they are most likely. Further, despite its name, inference to the best explanation is not just the process of comparing hypotheses and accepting the best one; we also want one that is a good explanation in its own right. If it’s not, we are going to keep looking until we find an explanation that is. And while that process does not guarantee that we will come across the exact truth, it’s very likely that the theory that emerges as the best will be at least approximately true, and thus we will be justified in believing it. And lastly, as I point out in my book, although many theories not based in scientific evidence (like geocentrism and continuum theory) have been completely overturned, science almost always progresses by the refinement of scientifically established theories—not their replacement. (Although our sun is not the center of the universe, heliocentrism was our first step in understanding the Earth’s true place in the universe.) So even if a theory we accept today may not be completely right, accepting it is a step on the journey toward the complete truth. The example of atomic theoryNow, it’s worth pointing out that most empiricists are not skeptical of all scientific theories; they are only skeptical of the ones that hypothesize the existence of “unobservables.” It’s not like they think that round Earth, heliocentrism, and germ theory are just useful (but untrue) “instruments” for making predictions about how to most efficiently navigate the seas, predict planetary motion, and treat diseases. They admit that the Earth actually is round, that the planets revolve around the sun, and that germs exist and cause disease. These facts and entities can be observed; the theories that suggest they exist are true. It’s only when theories start hypothesizing the existence of unobservables—like electrons, or quantum fields—that can’t be observed directly, that we should start doubting the theories’ truth. And to be fair to van Fraassen, in this published work, he doesn’t really say that we should doubt the truth of such theories. Only that scientific reasoning does not rationally force us to accept them as true. Skepticism, or agnosticism, he argues, is warranted. SUGGESTED READING Science is based in metaphor By Andrew Reynolds But the history of atomic theory throws a monkey wrench into that argument. Atoms used to be unobservable; again, scientists first accepted the theory that they exist because it had such grandiose explanatory power. But then atoms were seen with electron microscopes. They thus moved into the category of the observable. But this didn’t substantially change anything about what scientists were justified in believing; it certainly didn’t change any “atomic skeptics’” minds. It just confirmed what everyone already knew! If the hypothesis that something exists clearly provides the best explanation for what we can observe, then the belief that it exists is what is rational. The fact that the thing itself is not technically observable does not make doubting its existence rational.What’s more, the atoms were seen with an electron microscope. But electrons are themselves unobservable. How can an electron microscope reveal an atom if electrons are not real? This leads us to what is famously known as Hilary Putnam’s “miracle argument.” It’s (not) a miraclePhilosopher Hilary Putnam’s miracle argument is somewhat famous. Basically, he argued that a scientific theory being able to repeatedly make successful predictions—even about unobservables—without being at least approximately true would require a “miracle.” In other words, it would be such an improbable occurrence that it could not rationally be believed—the better explanation for why scientific theories about unobservables make the right predictions is because the unobservable entities and structures they hypothesize exist.Van Fraassen has addressed this argument. Indeed, in his original article, where he references Alison Gopnik’s point about orgasms not being “necessary for procreation” even though the desire for orgasm “drives the creation of progeny,” he is pointing to his own argument about how organisms are not naturally selected by evolution to get true beliefs; to the extent that belief-forming processes are selected for, the ones that are selected are the ones that are useful for survival—not the ones that produce true beliefs. In the same way, van Fraassen argues, scientific theories are accepted, not because they are true, but because they aren’t falsified; they make successful predictions; that’s what makes them “stick around.” So, the fact that they make successful predictions (and thus became accepted) is not a reason to think they are true.This argument is similar to C. S. Lewis’s “argument from reason,” which he used to argue against evolution: “The truth of evolution undercuts our ability to know that it is true.” Lewis’ argument famously failed; Elizabeth Anscombe, by Lewis’s own admission, demolished Lewis in a debate on the topic, and I have explained elsewhere why modified versions of the argument fail as well. In short, it’s because it fails to recognize that a belief-forming process can make an organism more likely to survive because it reliably produces true beliefs. It is therefore not the case that beliefs generated by naturally selected belief-forming processes are automatically false or unjustified.In the same way, the reason a theory “sticks around” could be because it’s not falsified, because it “makes correct predictions.” But the reason it makes correct predictions is most likely because it is true. (In pointing this out, I am echoing the arguments of Musgrave, Lipton, Psillos, and Kitcher, who refuted van Fraassen’s argument and analogy long before his 2024 article.) It would be a huge coincidence that it could do so without being true. And that is the point of Putnam’s miracle argument. Thus, contrary to van Fraassen’s suggestion, the mere fact that a theory’s predictive success is why it “sticks around” or “becomes accepted” in the scientific community is not a reason to be skeptical about its truth. ConclusionLet me close by saying something about the fact that empiricists don’t doubt the truth of all scientific theories, just the ones that hypothesize unobservables. In today’s society, this theory is dangerous to espouse publicly. The nuance between being skeptical about all of science, and just the highly technical theories about unobservables, is guaranteed to be lost to the average reader. And there is so much unjustified skepticism and doubt about the findings of science and experts that a headline like “Science Does Not Describe Reality” could easily fuel the anti-science movement, worsen climate change denial and cause the next pandemic.This is why I believe it was important to still respond to van Fraassen’s article, a full two years after he wrote it. Not only, as I have argued, does it represent a philosophically inaccurate view of how scientific reasoning works and what scientific reasoning can do, but it is a dangerous view to boot. It should thus be rejected.