The majority of our society is influenced by the media! You choose to run in a very small and tight circle and to not partake or understand popular culture. Yes, you ARE out of touch.

My education taught me that the scientific method is used to formulate a hypothesis, test it and come up with a theory based on whether the hypothesis is supported or not. Under that very simple definition, global warming is a theory which is supported by facts that prove it is probably true. Like your example with the plants, though, science proves theories partially or completely wrong all the time. Truth and fact are never set in stone.