The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Based on the provided image, the correct answer is the final option.
The facts create a transition to the idea of scientific ethic.
Explanation
This statement best assesses the function of including details about other individuals, such as the person named in the text, within the larger narrative of Percival Lowell and the discovery of Pluto. The story of a major scientific breakthrough is rarely about a single person working in complete isolation. By introducing other figures, the author moves beyond a simple biographical account of Lowell and delves into the more complex, collaborative, and sometimes contentious nature of the scientific process itself.
Including these facts serves as a crucial narrative transition. It shifts the focus from the individual, Lowell, to the discipline of science as a whole. This naturally leads to a discussion of scientific ethics. Such ethics involve critical questions about how credit is assigned, how discoveries build upon previous work, the importance of verification by other scientists, and how the scientific community handles competing claims or theories. The discovery of Pluto, for example, involved Lowell’s theoretical predictions, Clyde Tombaugh’s meticulous observational work years later, and further research by many others. Mentioning another person involved in the process, directly or indirectly, provides the perfect opportunity to explore these principles of scientific conduct.
The other options are less accurate. While the facts might contribute to a picture of Lowell as innovative or emphasize his journey, their primary role in this context is more thematic. They are not random details that should have been excluded; instead, they are intentionally placed to broaden the story’s theme from a personal quest to a commentary on the standards and practices that govern the entire scientific enterprise.
