UA discovery may change theories

A discovery by astronomers at the University of Alabama may be 'inconvenient' to the prevailing understanding of the cosmos, but it provides a timely reminder about the scientific method.

Professors Gene Byrd and Ron Buta found that a spiral galaxy that twists in a direction opposite to the direction of other spiral galaxies. Their initial findings were met with skepticism, so they returned to their studies for further confirmation. They have re-- confirmed their findings, which were presented this week at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Austin, Texas.

Other scientists will study the galaxy. If the observations of Byrd and Buta are confirmed, the understanding of how spiral galaxies move will need to be adjusted. Then that understanding — or theory — will need to be tested by further observation.

The twist of a galaxy is not likely to change public policy, so it will go largely unnoticed by most people. However, other scientific theories too often are derided because they don't hold absolute answers.

Consider evolution and climate change. Scientists don't have perfect understanding of all aspects of either evolution or climate change, but they do have decades of study and analysis that provide strong working models for both. Scientists continue to test their understandings and revise them as necessary.

Climate scientists have documented increases in temperatures globally and linked these changes to human industrial activity. Their studies provide the clearest picture we have on global warming. It would be foolish to insist that we can't base public policy on their forecasts simply because the science is incomplete. Science is always incomplete.

A galaxy 200 million light years away has arms that turn toward its direction of rotation. That may mean a theory needs to be revised, but it doesn't mean we should give equal time to the belief the universe rests on the back of a cosmic turtle.