If you look around, science is everywhere. For example, Einstein had a theory of relativity stating that two events, simultaneous for some observer, may not be simultaneous for another observer if the observers are in relative motion.
Confusing? Let me break that down for you.
For example, consider Ryan and Tiffany. Imagine that they drive to the local grocery store, intent on picking up three items: milk, bread, and eggs. Imagine that Tiffany volunteers to go inside to purchase the items and that Ryan stays in the car. Now imagine that there is a scientist parked next to the car with a stopwatch observing their behaviors. Imagine that Tiffany exits the car at 6:00 p.m. and at that the scientist begins his stopwatch at that moment.
Are you with me? Are you still awake? Hello? Hello?
Imagine that a short while later, Tiffany walks out of the store. When she reaches the car, the scientist stops his watch and records that she has been gone for fifteen minutes and that she has eight items in her bag: milk, bread, eggs, a gossip magazine, swirly straws, Craisins, refried beans, and a bag of jelly beans.
The scientist records the following communication:
Ryan: “Oh my gosh, what took SO long? You’ve been gone for forty-five minutes!”
Tiffany: “What are you talking about? I’ve been gone for ten minutes.”
Ryan: “No, we got here at about 5:30 and you’ve been in there shopping for at least fifty minutes.”
Tiffany: “We did not get here at 5:30.”
Ryan: “I watched thirty-six people leave the store since you went in. We’ve been here at least fifty-five minutes.”
Tiffany: “Ryan, I walked in the store. I picked up our three items, paid for them, and walked out. I was gone for five minutes.”
Ryan: “Three items? Why do you have five bags? You do this every time. You get in there and start shopping; then an hour later, you wander out.”
Tiffany: “OK, so I picked up TWO extra things that I remembered we NEEDED, but it didn’t take me long. I was in the store for three minutes TOPS.”
Ryan: “It was at LEAST an hour and fifteen minutes.”
Tiffany: “Why is that man in the car next to us wearing a lab coat and writing down everything we say?”
At this point the scientist quickly closes his notebook, starts his car and leaves. He drives straight home, a five minute drive. When he gets home, he walks in the door to find his wife with her hands on her hips.
“Stanley, where have you BEEN?” she says.
“What are you talking about Edna? I told you I was stopping at the grocery store on the way home from the lab to record a quick observation.”
“Right, you called me on your way there. You said it would take FIFTEEN minutes. That was three hours ago, at LEAST.”
