Question

Describe, in your own words, how the story in the NOVA episode is a good example of the scientific method working properly.

Answer 1

Nova is an American science documentary television series produced by WGBH Boston for PBS. Most of the episodes are aired in a 60 minute time slot.

In 2005, Nova began airing some episodes titled NOVA scienceNOW, which followed a newsmagazine style format. For two seasons, NOVA scienceNOW episodes aired in the same time slot as Nova. In 2008, NOVA scienceNOWwas officially declared its own series and given its own time slot.

PBS has created another short series in its long-running Nova family of programs. Nova Wonder will follow three researchers exploring big scientific mysteries. The first of the miniseries' six episodes airs on PBS on Wednesday, April 25th, with a new one every week.Each episode tackles a different complex question.

But more notable is the refreshingly young and diverse trio of hosts who practice leading scientific methods and technologies. mathematician and statistician Talithia Williams uses data models to analyze environmental and human biological info, while computer scientist Rana el Kaliouby specializes in emotion recognition tech and neuroscientist André Fenton specializes in the biology of memory.

What is so unique about NOVA Wonders—and what distinguishes it from the original NOVA series—is the emphasis on unanswered questions. They're riding along with researchers who are pushing the envelope on their knowledge about the universe and themselves. They don't have all the answers, but the thrill is in the journey and trying to solve a mystery for the very first time.

To find the answers to scientific questions, scientists may use an organized set of procedures typically referred to in textbooks as the "scientific method" of experimentation. Often described as a tidy, step-by-step process, the scientific method is in reality less linear. Procedures are refined as data are collected and initial hypotheses modified or replaced in light of new evidence. In this lesson, students begin by addressing the question. They engage in group discussions followed by a full class discussion based on what they think. Next, they watch video accounts of actual scientific research and re-examine their ideas considering what they see. Citing evidence from the videos, the groups present their findings to the rest of the class. Finally, following an expanded discussion on the processes of science, students collaborate on a better-informed description of the scientific method.