Why is evolution scientific fact?
Evolution is *both* a theory and a fact. It is a *fact* that creatures have changed over time. It is a fact that we find in the fossil record creatures that no longer exist today, and we don’t find modern creatures. It is a fact that all creatures that exist today share a common ancestor. The *theory* of evolution aims to explain these facts. Unlike the way we commonly use the word ‘theory’, in science a theory and a fact aren’t different levels of certainty. A theory is a framework that explains evidence, and that’s what the theory of evolution does. A theory can never be proved – proof, as they say, is for maths and alcohol – but it can be consistent with the evidence, and again that’s what the theory of evolution is. Despite the misconceptions you can see in some of these answers, we have never found any evidence that is contrary to the theory of evolution – *all* the evidence that we find is consistent with it. That’s why scientists regard the theory of evolution as one of the best
