Question
While studying in the lab, a scientist discovers that a sample of platypus fur glows blueish-green under ultraviolet light. When would the scientist have enough evidence to propose a theory?
A. The scientist would need to study many samples of different species over several generations to get enough evidence to propose a theory.
B. The scientist could propose a theory after briefly examining samples of other species.
C. The scientist could propose a theory based only on this initial study.
D. The scientist would need to publish a paper detailing their results in a trusted journal.
A. The scientist would need to study many samples of different species over several generations to get enough evidence to propose a theory.
B. The scientist could propose a theory after briefly examining samples of other species.
C. The scientist could propose a theory based only on this initial study.
D. The scientist would need to publish a paper detailing their results in a trusted journal.
Answers
GPT-5 mini
A. The scientist would need substantial, reproducible evidence from many samples (and ideally repeated studies) before proposing a theory. Brief or single observations are insufficient; publication helps validation but isn’t itself what makes a theory justified.