Introduction

No one really understands how anything works — some basic principles are recognized and those we refer to as facts. But how it all holds together, or even the nature of the adhesives themselves, remains as much a mystery today as they were 100 or 1,000 or 5,000 years ago. The truth is, we can explain how things work, but are at a loss to explain why they work. If we’re going to be honest with one another, let’s agree that we are no more prepared to offer an explanation than our naked ancestors, who squatted in terror at the clap of thunder.

Our solution to this uncomfortable truth is to tell each other stories. Here are some stories I've told.