Modern Scientific "Progress" (a.k.a. "Upheaval")

We must still consider modern scientific theories and "consensus" teaching. Are they trustworthy?

Nobel Prize accredited revolutions:

• Stem Cells (2012 Nobel in Physiology) - Sir John B. Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka overturned the theory that adult stem cells can only be multipotent, not pluripotent (able to generate all human cell types). Source: http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/2012/press.html

• Crystals (2011 Nobel in Chemistry) - Dan Shechtman (who holds a professorship at Iowa State University) overturned the theory that all crystals are periodic (repetitious in pattern). Source: http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/2011/press.html

• Chromosomes (2009 Nobel in Physiology or Medicine) - Elizabeth H. Blackburn, and Jack W. Szostak overturned the teaching that telomeres have no significant function in chromosomes. Source: http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/2009/press.html

• HIV (2008 Nobel in Physiology or Medicine) - Françoise Barré-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier overturned the teaching that all retroviruses (single strange RNA viruses capable of reverse transcribing, or producing, DNA to insert into and control host cells) cause uncontrolled cell growth. Source: http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/2008/press.html

• Plastics (2000 Nobel in Chemistry) - Alan J. Heeger, Alan G. MacDiarmid, and
  Hideki Shirakawa overturned the theory that all plastics are insulators (electrically non-conductive). Source: http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/2000/press.html

• Proteins (1999 Nobel in Physiology or Medicine) - Günter Blobel overturned the assumption that zip-code mailing systems are an invention of man (Blobel revealed that proteins bear intrinsic signaling/"zip-code" addressing within the cell). Source: http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1999/press.html

As a graduate student in Materials Science & Engineering, I should note that I'm not anti-science. I do not approach all scientific teaching with skepticism. However, I do believe that history shows that the scientific community makes huge mistakes and oversights--bringing into question adopting scientific teaching as truth.