A collaborative verification platform for human knowledge.
Last updated: July 4, 2026
Capsule is a Social Encyclopedia where knowledge is trusted through evidence, not authority. This page explains how we select topics, weigh evidence, decide a claim's confidence status, and make that reasoning transparent and reproducible.
Anyone with a free account can create a capsule on a claim or topic, and existing capsules can be expanded by the community. We prioritise claims that are widely circulated, consequential, or genuinely uncertain. There is no editorial agenda about which subjects may be examined: the same standards apply to every topic.
Every capsule carries an epistemic classification that signals how settled its central claim is, so a reader sees the state of the evidence at a glance rather than a simple true or false verdict.
The statuses
Fact (verified consensus), Proven (rigorous verification such as a replicated study, clinical trial, or mathematical proof), Theory (a well-supported explanatory framework), Hypothesis (a claim under investigation), Contested (credible evidence in genuine conflict), and Debunked (demonstrated false). A single capsule can carry a settled fact in one section and an open question in another, because sections can hold their own status.
A capsule is expected to cite its sources, and members can attach evidence for or against the central claim. Evidence is itself reviewable, so a claim earns its status through a visible body of support rather than an author’s say-so. Because the sources and the reasoning are on the page, a reader can trace how a conclusion was reached and check it independently, which is the core of a reproducible method.
A classification reflects the weight of the cited evidence and the review it has received, not the popularity of a view. As new evidence arrives, a capsule can and should evolve: a Hypothesis may become a Theory, and a claim shown to be false becomes Debunked. Every such change is recorded in the capsule’s Confidence History, a public timeline showing what changed, when, why, and by whom, so the evolution of a claim is itself transparent. For sensitive or heavily contested matters, the Capsule team may review submitted evidence and, where a classification is settled, lock it while keeping evidence submission open.
Expertise on Capsule spans both academic credentials (such as a degree or research record) and practical experience (such as a trade or years of hands-on work); a verified expert carries a blue check, and verification requires supporting evidence. Contributions earn reputation through the ratings and reviews of others, so quality counts more than volume. This blend of open contribution and credentialed review is how claims are stress-tested.
Capsule may use AI to assist authors, for example by suggesting a classification or drafting structure. These are suggestions only: a human author decides, and the community reviews the result. AI is never the final arbiter of a capsule’s truth status, and its assistance is a tool in the hands of people, not a replacement for evidence.