A hypothesis is a tentative explanation for a phenomena or a prediction as to a possible outcome of an experiment. The hypothesis is the stock in trade of the scientist. Hypotheses can be simplistic or intricate and formulated from the tiniest bits of data. What any experienced scientist knows all too well is that most of her or his hypotheses will inevitably be proven wrong. But this does not stop us from generating hypotheses by the thousands in our efforts to solve nature’s mysteries. Indeed Mark Twain remarked that, “There is something fascinating about science. One gets such wholesome returns of conjecture out of such a trifling investment of fact.” His point is well taken, we must resist over interpreting our data and placing too much weight on our hypotheses. There may be few precious instances when findings from rigorous experimentation prove our hypotheses to be correct and a bit of nature's mystery is revealed.
