>A scientific theory is a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world, based on a body of facts that have been repeatedly confirmed through observation and experiment. Such fact-supported theories are not "guesses" but reliable accounts of the real world.[2]
[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_theory
[2]: http://www.aaas.org/news/press_room/evolution/qanda.shtml