Here is the way one starts with a hypothesis. At the core of biology and other sciences lies a problem-solving approach called the scientific method. The scientific method has five basic steps, plus one feedback step:

1. Make an observation. (Something is killing people)
2. Ask a question. (Based on education, training, and experience as to how the people died, this resembles the type of death caused by a virus)
3. Form a hypothesis, or testable explanation. (A virus caused this death)
4. Make a prediction based on the hypothesis. (Testing will show a virus in the blood)
5. Test the prediction. (Test the blood from people that died)
6. Iterate: use the results to make new hypotheses or predictions. (The blood test reveals the presence of a virus)
7. New hypothesis (This virus is causing the deaths)
8. The process now repeats itself starting with the hypothesis that the virus is causing the deaths.

The scientific method is used in all sciences—including chemistry, physics, geology, and psychology. The scientists in these fields ask different questions and perform different tests. However, they use the same core approach to find answers that are logical and supported by evidence.

Jim Mazerat
Forensic Investigations Group