The Triplett Paradox

Or, why you don't want sociologists getting too good at their jobs

In 1950, physicist Enrico Fermi joined a casual lunch conversation with colleagues at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The group discussed a mix of lighthearted and serious topics, including UFO sightings and the rapid progress of human technology. Someone joked about the absurdity of little green men visiting Earth, steering the conversation toward the …