--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: and predictions. Science is often…" description: "\"“and predictions. Science is often presented as ‘the facts’, frequently in”\" — Nick Lane" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64d/nick-lane-26984_science_and-predictions-science-is-often-present_1398974.jpg" --- # and predictions. Science is often presented as ‘the… ![“and predictions. Science is often presented as ‘the facts’, frequently in” quote by Nick Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64d/nick-lane-26984_science_and-predictions-science-is-often-present_1398974.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64d/nick-lane-26984_science_and-predictions-science-is-often-present_1398974.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64d/nick-lane-26984_science_and-predictions-science-is-often-present_1398974.jpg) > ““and predictions. Science is often presented as ‘the facts’, frequently in”” [Nick Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lane/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Science is often portrayed as absolute facts, but predictions reveal its provisional nature. **In simple terms:** Science is presented as facts, yet it relies on predictions. Key Takeaway Recognize the tentative nature of scientific claims. Themes science prediction uncertainty knowledge Mood cautious thoughtful Type analytical educational When to use this quote - policy making - research planning - public communication - education - media reporting Key Concepts philosophy of science epistemology probability Questions to Reflect On - How should we communicate scientific uncertainty? - What role do predictions play in scientific progress? A Different Perspective Overreliance on certainty can mislead public perception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Predictions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/predictions/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [Just when we most need to be clearheaded, in order to face the hard facts before us, there is all too frequently a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-mackenzie-king/just-when-we-most-need-to-be-clearheaded-in-order-to-face-the-hard/) [William Lyon Mackenzie King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-mackenzie-king/) > [FACTS = F. Frequently A. Associated C. Calculations T. Theorizing S. Standards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/facts-f-frequently-a-associated-c-calculations-t-theorizing-s/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [The prediction of nuclear winter is drawn not, of course, from any direct experience with the consequences of global nuclear war, but rather from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-prediction-of-nuclear-winter-is-drawn-not-of-course-from-any/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“The most essential prediction of Darwinism is that, given an astronomical number of chances, unintelligent processes can make seemingly-designed systems, ones of the complexity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-behe/the-most-essential-prediction-of-darwinism-is-that-given-an/) [Michael J. Behe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-behe/) > [I'm going to make a prediction - it could go either way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-atkinson/i-m-going-to-make-a-prediction-it-could-go-either-way/) [Ron Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-atkinson/) > [With high hope for the future, no prediction is ventured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/with-high-hope-for-the-future-no-prediction-is-ventured/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The only useful function of a statistician is to make predictions, and thus to provide a basis for action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/the-only-useful-function-of-a-statistician-is-to-make-predictions-and/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [A model is a good model if first it interprets a wide range of observations in terms of a simple and elegant model, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/a-model-is-a-good-model-if-first-it-interprets-a-wide-range-of/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [The shape of the heaven is of necessity spherical; for that is the shape most appropriate to its substance and also by nature primary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/the-shape-of-the-heaven-is-of-necessity-spherical-for-that-is-the/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [The future is itself a story, and predictions are stories we tell to amaze ourselves, to give hope to the desperate, to jolt the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/the-future-is-itself-a-story-and-predictions-are-stories-we-tell-to/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [I've ceased making predictions on things because we'll see how they turn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-plouffe/i-ve-ceased-making-predictions-on-things-because-we-ll-see-how-they/) [David Plouffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-plouffe/) > [The one prediction that never comes true is, 'You'll thank me for telling you this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/the-one-prediction-that-never-comes-true-is-you-ll-thank-me-for/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [I have been in relatively high-risk businesses all of my adult life. Few of the others, however, had the possibility of direct gains in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-armstrong/i-have-been-in-relatively-high-risk-businesses-all-of-my-adult-life/) [Neil Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-armstrong/) > [One of the things that I think we have learned is that we should all be very careful about making predictions about the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/one-of-the-things-that-i-think-we-have-learned-is-that-we-should-all/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [The usefulness of the models in constructing a testable theory of the process is severely limited by the quickly increasing number of parameters which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatol-rapoport/the-usefulness-of-the-models-in-constructing-a-testable-theory-of-the/) [Anatol Rapoport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatol-rapoport/) ## More by Nick Lane > [“establishment. In 1966, the Dutch geologist M. G. Rutten could write, in a charmingly antiquated style that has passed forever from the scientific journals:”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lane/establishment-in-1966-the-dutch-geologist-m-g-rutten-could-write-in-a/) [Nick Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lane/) > [“Rather surprisingly, to anyone who is most familiar with textbook mitochondria, many simple single-celled eukaryotes have mitochondria that operate in the absence of oxygen.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lane/rather-surprisingly-to-anyone-who-is-most-familiar-with-textbook/) [Nick Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lane/) > [“Pigments such as haemoglobin are coloured because they absorb light of particular colours (bands of light, as in a rainbow) and reflect back light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lane/pigments-such-as-haemoglobin-are-coloured-because-they-absorb-light/) [Nick Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lane/) > [“Energy and life go hand in hand. If you stop breathing, you will not be able to generate the energy you need for staying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lane/energy-and-life-go-hand-in-hand-if-you-stop-breathing-you-will-not-be/) [Nick Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lane/) > [“In an average person, ATP is produced at a rate of 9 × 1020 molecules per second, which equates to a turnover rate (the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lane/in-an-average-person-atp-is-produced-at-a-rate-of-9-1020-molecules/) [Nick Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lane/) > [“But whatever our beliefs, this richness of understanding should be a cause for marvel and celebration.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lane/but-whatever-our-beliefs-this-richness-of-understanding-should-be-a/) [Nick Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lane/) > [“One mitochondrion contains tens of thousands of copies of each respiratory complex. A single cell contains hundreds or thousands of mitochondria. Your 40 trillion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lane/one-mitochondrion-contains-tens-of-thousands-of-copies-of-each/) [Nick Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lane/) > [“Nothing is more conservative than a bacterium.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lane/nothing-is-more-conservative-than-a-bacterium/) [Nick Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lane/) > [“This was difficult to prove as most hydrogenosomes have lost their entire genome, but it is now established with some certainty.1 In other words,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lane/this-was-difficult-to-prove-as-most-hydrogenosomes-have-lost-their/) [Nick Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lane/) > [“Matters came to a head after 1918, when the French scientist Paul Portier published his rhetorical masterpiece Les Symbiotes. He was nothing if not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lane/matters-came-to-a-head-after-1918-when-the-french-scientist-paul/) [Nick Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lane/) > [“Metabolically active cells, such as those of the liver, kidneys, muscles, and brain, have hundreds or thousands of mitochondria, making up some 40 per…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lane/metabolically-active-cells-such-as-those-of-the-liver-kidneys-muscles/) [Nick Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lane/) > [“the igneo-aerial food.” In other words, despite”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lane/the-igneo-aerial-food-in-other-words-despite/) [Nick Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lane/) > [“Timmis and colleagues found that chloroplast genes are transferred to the nucleus at a rate of about 1 transfer in every 16 000 seeds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lane/timmis-and-colleagues-found-that-chloroplast-genes-are-transferred-to/) [Nick Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lane/) > [“The point I want to make about methanogens is that they were the losers in the race through a bottleneck, yet nonetheless survived in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lane/the-point-i-want-to-make-about-methanogens-is-that-they-were-the/) [Nick Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lane/) > [“of oxygen, whether we think of it as ‘good’ or ‘bad’, is the formation of free radicals. As conventionally stated, the idea that breathing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-lane/of-oxygen-whether-we-think-of-it-as-good-or-bad-is-the-formation-of/) [Nick Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lane/) [Explore all 21 Nick Lane quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-lane/) ## More Predictions quotes > [The prediction of nuclear winter is drawn not, of course, from any direct experience with the consequences of global nuclear war, but rather from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-prediction-of-nuclear-winter-is-drawn-not-of-course-from-any/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [With high hope for the future, no prediction is ventured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/with-high-hope-for-the-future-no-prediction-is-ventured/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The one prediction that never comes true is, 'You'll thank me for telling you this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/the-one-prediction-that-never-comes-true-is-you-ll-thank-me-for/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [I have been in relatively high-risk businesses all of my adult life. Few of the others, however, had the possibility of direct gains in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-armstrong/i-have-been-in-relatively-high-risk-businesses-all-of-my-adult-life/) [Neil Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-armstrong/) > [I'm going to make a prediction - it could go either way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-atkinson/i-m-going-to-make-a-prediction-it-could-go-either-way/) [Ron Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-atkinson/) > [One of the things that I think we have learned is that we should all be very careful about making predictions about the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/one-of-the-things-that-i-think-we-have-learned-is-that-we-should-all/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [“The most essential prediction of Darwinism is that, given an astronomical number of chances, unintelligent processes can make seemingly-designed systems, ones of the complexity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-behe/the-most-essential-prediction-of-darwinism-is-that-given-an/) [Michael J. Behe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-behe/) > [The usefulness of the models in constructing a testable theory of the process is severely limited by the quickly increasing number of parameters which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatol-rapoport/the-usefulness-of-the-models-in-constructing-a-testable-theory-of-the/) [Anatol Rapoport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatol-rapoport/) > [I've ceased making predictions on things because we'll see how they turn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-plouffe/i-ve-ceased-making-predictions-on-things-because-we-ll-see-how-they/) [David Plouffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-plouffe/) > [The future is itself a story, and predictions are stories we tell to amaze ourselves, to give hope to the desperate, to jolt the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/the-future-is-itself-a-story-and-predictions-are-stories-we-tell-to/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [The shape of the heaven is of necessity spherical; for that is the shape most appropriate to its substance and also by nature primary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/the-shape-of-the-heaven-is-of-necessity-spherical-for-that-is-the/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [A model is a good model if first it interprets a wide range of observations in terms of a simple and elegant model, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/a-model-is-a-good-model-if-first-it-interprets-a-wide-range-of/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [The only useful function of a statistician is to make predictions, and thus to provide a basis for action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/the-only-useful-function-of-a-statistician-is-to-make-predictions-and/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [“As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/as-democracy-is-perfected-the-office-of-president-represents-more-and/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [If the search is for examples that contradict the predictions of standard economic models, a good rule of thumb is to start in France.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-frank/if-the-search-is-for-examples-that-contradict-the-predictions-of/) [Robert H. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-frank/) [Browse all 599 Predictions quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/predictions/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“and predictions. 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