Law, Theory, Hypothesis...

Scientific Law: This is a statement of fact meant to describe, in concise terms, an action or set of actions. It is generally accepted to be true and universal, and can sometimes be expressed in terms of a single mathematical equation. Scientific laws are similar to mathematical postulates. They don’t really need any complex external proofs; they are accepted at face value based upon the fact that they have always been observed to be true.

Specifically, scientific laws must be simple, true, universal, and absolute. They represent the cornerstone of scientific discovery, because if a law ever did not apply, then all science based upon that law would collapse.

Some scientific laws, or laws of nature, include the law of gravity, Newton's laws of motion, the laws of thermodynamics, Boyle's law of gases, the law of conservation of mass and energy, and Hook’s law of elasticity.

Hypothesis: This is an educated guess based upon observation. It is a rational explanation of a single event or phenomenon based upon what is observed, but which has not been proved. Most hypotheses can be supported or refuted by experimentation or continued observation.

Theory: A theory is more like a scientific law than a hypothesis. A theory is an explanation of a set of related observations or events based upon proven hypotheses and verified multiple times by detached groups of researchers. One scientist cannot create a theory; he can only create a hypothesis.

Evolution cannot be a theory. It can only be a hypothesis. How's that for a can of worms? People are throwing around evolution like it's a proven fact, when it cannot be observed, nor proven by experimentation. I'm not talking about small changes in an animal or plant that is still that plant - I'm talking macro-evolution, where one creature becomes another one. According to evolution, we are related to archaebacteria, mollusks, echinoderms. All leading from the unknown base of the tree trunk. They just decided to become clams, starfish, bacteria.

I have a better idea. My ancestors may have hung from trees, but it was by their necks, not their tails.