I have noticed a divergence in the practice of science. There is the scientific method, which is a system for gathering data and making observations. Then there is the more recent religion of science which has little in common with the scientific method.
The scientific method proves nothing. I’ll say that again. Science can disprove theories and it can gather evidence in support of theories, but it cannot prove a theory true. It only takes a single piece of evidence to disprove a theory. We can gather enough evidence that we can be reasonably confident a theory is accurate, but we can never be 100% sure. Science in the mainstream has greatly diverged from the scientific method.
There are many reasons for this, but there are theories that are regarded as true within various circles and to question the validity of that truth is treated as blasphemy. When the questioning of theories is regarded as a violation of the institution of science, you are no longer using the scientific method. You are now practicing the religion of science. The very basis of science is questioning theories. The science is never “settled”.