How are researchers trying to
answer these questions?
See handout for an example involving planet formation. But
the key points are:
Make observations that are designed to discriminate among
competing theories.
Make theories that involve basic physics; add physical effects that
are simple at first and only more complicated as they are needed
to match the data. Make quantitative
predictions that can be tested.
Interactions (communication) between theorists and observers are
key; they inform each other of the next productive steps to
take.