Science is Collaborative, dynamic and creative.

By Riza Oro

When I was younger, at the beginning of the school year, I remember every science subject was
always introduced with the same cliché question; what is Science? Such a simple question, but I
always find it difficult to answer. I lived and grew memorizing the definition provided to us
every year but the truth is, it was always vague to me, the teachers gave us answers which I
never really understood. They say Science is everything, another answer given was that Science
is a system, science is a process, then there’s another which states that it is creative and dynamic.
How can it be a system and creative at the same time? The next year another definition is given
which then adds to my pool of confusion in what Science really is.

So what really is Science? As I matured and gained knowledge, I realized that all of those
definitions are correct and correlated to each other, which is contrary to what I formerly believed
that all of those statements were contradicting each other. Science is simply too large to put into
a single and simple definition. Just like how Science is dynamic, it is a never ending search for
truth and knowledge. Everyday our scientists continue to study, and discover new things.
Scientists continue to question and test theories and hypothesis that exists today, at the same time
new theories and hypothesis are also added to our already established facts.

For example, before the 16th century, people have believed that the Sun together with the other
planets in the solar system revolves around the Earth, this is better known as the geocentric
theory. In 1543, the scientist Nicolaus Copernicus presented a radical theory that the Earth and
the rest of the planets revolves around the sun, it defied the religious idea which states that the
Earth is the center of everything. It was a precarious move to challenge an established idea.
Questioning such idea without enough evidence would get you condemned by many and he will
be labeled a heretic. He challenged to change geocentric theory in to what we now know as the
heliocentric theory. Up to this age the heliocentric theory is the accepted theory being taught in
school which also explains why there are 365 and a quarter days in a year.

Subsequently, one question comes to mind, how did Nicolaus Copernicus questioned an
established idea and totally changed a certain belief, which for centuries, people have accepted to
be true? Was Nicolaus able to do it alone? The answer is no. The process on how the formerly
believed Geocentric theory changed to the Heliocentric theory was a collaboration of various
scientists who also helped in proving the veracity of the Heliocentric theory, this was a long and
challenging process which took about a century until people finally accepted that the Earth and
the rest of the planets revolves around the Sun.

This is a perfect example on how collaborative Science is. Not only one mind was responsible in
the discovery of the Heliocentric theory, but great minds have come together to prove that our
planet Earth and the rest of the other planets in our solar system revolves around the sun.
Scientists such as Nicolaus Copernicus’ observation through his naked eye, Johannes Kepler’s
elliptical orbit, Galileo Galilei’s observation through his telescope, William Herschel, and
Friedrich Bessel further observations all contributed in proving that the Heliocentric Theory or
the Sun-Centered theory is true.

It is amazing how a simple observation of a scientist can become an actual theory that will be
contained in all science books and taught to all students from elementary to high school. Just like
how Isaac Newton was able to formulate the Theory of gravity just from being struck by an
apple who fell while he was sitting under an apple tree. How many people have been struck by
an apple in the past? Probably more than hundred before him, but Newton were quick to question
why all things up must come down. With such incident, he was able to imagine things
unimaginable by ordinary minds, he made explanations, he made experiments and in the end he
proposed an idea which up to now nobody contends to disagree, He proposed the Theory of
gravitational force. This shows how Science is creative. Scientists were able to formulate
explanations of certain phenomenon and make experiments to prove their ideas.
So what is Science? It is everything. It is dynamic, collaborative, and creative. It is not a simple
subject but it doesn’t mean it is hard. All we need is an open mind and willingness to learn what
Science has to offer.