Science was against the germ origin of disease no more than 200 years ago. The idea that anything exists outside of out galaxy was not a fact until the 20th century when Hubble resolved the Andromeda Galaxy into individual stars with the 200-inch Palomar Telescope. Big Bang theory as been around for a short time (1960's), relatively speaking, and has undergone several revisions already. At least science, unlike religion, doesn't claim it has a definite answer, simply because it lacks proof, and having "spiritual" eyes simply doesn't cut it.
Someone pointed out that every age thought they had a pretty good handle on things, only to have it overturned.
Asimov used the shape of the Earth as an example of the refinement of the scientific method.
If your model is that the Earth is flat, you are only off IIRC some 8 inches per mile. It is a pretty good model! The refinement of the model that it was round was a big philosophical leap, but it is well supported by what we know know about the universe (nothing as large as the Earth can be any other shape than a (roughly) sphere).
And the refinement of the model that it was a perfect sphere has been discarded for the more accurate model that it is a lopsided sphere.
Each refinement of the model led to a more accurate assessment of the reality, and thus to more accurate prediction.