Make a prediction of this: A group of scientists recently proposed the idea that beets should replace salt for melting winter ice. The scientists pointed out that because beets grow underground, they continue to grow in freezing conditions. Thus, they hypothesized, an extract of beet roots could melt ice on roads in winter. To test this hypothesis, the scientists froze equal volumes of water on two separate plates. They spread an extract of beet roots on one plate of ice and sprinkled an equal amount of salt over the other plate. After keeping both plates at 0°C (the temperature at which water freezes) for a period of time, they measured the amount of melted water on each plate. Their results showed that the plate treated with beet extract contained more liquid water than the plate treated with salt.

In science, a prediction can be defined as a plausible conjecture that is subsequently proved (or rejected) using the scientific method. In other words, a prediction is the expected result obtained if the hypothesis is true. Scientists make predictions based on falsifiable hypotheses which can be tested through experimental and/or observational procedures. In this case, it could be predicted that the extract of beet roots could be used as anti-freeze for water systems in cold climates.