Simulation Theory according to Dilbert

[John V]

You literally just gave an example of paleontology making a risky, falsifiable prediction.

If you're referring to tiktaalik: not at all. If they didn't find anything (and IIRC they didn't on the first trip or two), they could blame the incompleteness of the fossil record. When it turned out it was younger than actual tetrapods, they just noted that intermediate species don't necessarily die out. They heralded it as good evidence when it seemed that way, but they had their outs ready if they needed them. That's how it goes with evolution.