Which statement best describes pseudoscience?

Pseudoscience is best characterized as fake or misleading science. This term refers to beliefs or practices that claim to be both scientific and factual but lack the evidence and methodology that are fundamental to genuine scientific investigation. In pseudoscience, hypotheses are often not testable or are not tested rigorously, and the conclusions drawn often do not adhere to the scientific method.

Those who promote pseudoscience may use scientific-sounding language or concepts to give the appearance of legitimacy; however, their claims typically do not hold up under systematic scrutiny or peer review. Genuine science relies on reproducibility, falsifiability, and rigorous testing to support theories, which is not the case in pseudoscientific practices.

Understanding pseudoscience is important as it helps differentiate between legitimate scientific inquiry, which adheres to strict methodological frameworks and is open to falsification, and claims that present themselves as scientific but do not follow these principles.