Final answer:
An explanation must be testable to be considered scientific. A scientific hypothesis or theory can be supported or refuted through testing via experiments and observations. It is the ability to be tested, not proof or age, that defines the scientific nature of an explanation.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to the lecture, in order for an explanation to be defined as scientific, it must be b. testable. This means that a hypothesis or theory must be able to be supported or refuted through systematic scientific methods such as experiments and observations. In science, for a hypothesis to be considered scientific, it should be an explanation that can undergo testing to determine its validity. Therefore, it is not necessary for an explanation to be proven, developed in an academic institution, or to be at least 50 years old to be scientific.
A scientific theory, for example, is one that has been repeatedly tested and supported by a broad range of experiments. It represents a high level of scientific understanding but is always subject to revision based on new evidence. The lecture emphasized that the most direct approach to test a hypothesis in science is to perform an experiment, which could either support or contradict the hypothesis. This tentative nature of scientific understanding contributes to the dynamic progression of scientific knowledge.