Science

Science (科学) is a general term used to refer to any entity, like persons or technology, that has roots in science and scientific knowledge. Science dwells primarily in rational thinking and the study of the natural world, but also extends to the applications of advances in technology in a number of fields. Academy City, for example, is well-known for its Power Curriculum Program which allows normal people to develop supernatural abilities.

In Toaru Majutsu no Index, the term is frequently used to refer to Academy City and its affiliates, and is interchangeable with the term Science Side (科学サイド) as a contrast to the realm of magic, which is also called Magic Side.

History
The history of contemporary science in general can be traced thousands of years, where major civilizations, from the Middle East and Mesopotamia to Greece and the Roman Empire, formulate their own theories on various disciplines. However, it was during the Renaissance period that modern science flourished, allowing further development on the different branches of study.

During the latter half of the 21st Century, a man named Aleister Crowley, himself a magician who fled from the realm of magic, established an independent territory within the island country of Japan. This territory, later to be known as Academy City, gradually became the world's forerunner in scientific research, creating technologies 30 years ahead of its time.

Principles
Science primarily works through experimentation and observing various phenomena to obtain desired results. Most of the time, the methods used conform to standards in practice at the present. There are experiments, however, which involve inhuman and immoral practices like cloning and human experimentation. Regardless, Academy City-funded projects were able to continue with impunity.

Organizations
Science-based organizations in Academy City consist of groups that may or may not be involved with espers or esper development. Most of these organizations specialize in scientific research, with only a few that deal with psychic abilities. There are also organizations that are known to few, engaging in inhuman acts like human experimentation and assassinations. These organizations are often gathered under one term, the Dark Side of Academy City, and often move in secret.