Humans desire for certainty is rooted in the way our brains function. We are programmed to create patterns from our outside world, store them as memories and make predictions. It is the primary function of our neo-cortex.

Imagine a drought year for a small farmer. Crops, the money he invested and his yearly source of income is lost. How can he be helped? Maybe he could ask his family or neighbors, but what if his community depends on agriculture and has the same problem. Is there a way to help from space? It might sound weird, but yes.

One of the most memorable characters from the cartoon series Charlie Brown is the faceless and prosaic teacher. Even though this character had no physical manifestation — no form, no dialogue — the caricature is memorable because of the frustration and giddiness it caused you to feel. No matter how eventful Charlie Brown’s day may have been, when he arrived at school, the teacher would motor on “wah-wah-wah-wah-wah,” inspiring the students to mutter to each other, “Are you getting anything of this?” Well, in a lot of adult learning situations, don’t you feel the same way?