Patterns in data can serve as evidence to support a claim.
What is a claim?
A claim is a disputed assertion of what’s said to be the truth about something. The reason for the disagreement is because there lacks evidence or any sort of proof to support it prior to the claim being said. When the sentence is an official claim that successfully accumulates evidence to support it, it’s deemed a theory because it’s now widely accepted. Many theories are not accepted and are controversial; and some wish to harm others.
Scientists use patterns in data as corresponding evidence for a claim.