Explore the Web

Science and discovery

Exploring space or physics means separating observations, models and questions that remain open.

Getting started

Choose a NASA mission or CERN topic and find the page explaining the instrument or experiment.

Before deciding

Note the result’s date and context. An educational illustration is not itself a measurement.

Choose a source and keep useful references

Compare resources

NASA Science covers space and Earth topics; CERN explains its physics research. Compare the research question and instrument, not just the image.

Prepare your research

For a result, note mission or experiment, instrument, date and report link. Distinguish published observations from interpretations still under discussion.

Practical questions

Is a scientific image sufficient evidence?

Look for the caption, instrument and image processing. Identify what was measured and what aids visualisation; an educational illustration cannot reconstruct the original data.

How should I read a discovery announcement?

Find the cited report or publication and note the question, method and stated limitations. Separate the observed result from proposed applications; a future prospect does not establish that a use is already available.

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