引言(1)

Welcome . And congratulations . I am delighted that you could make it .

Getting here wasn ' t easy , I know .

In fact , I suspect it was a little tougher than you realize .

To begin with , for you to be here now trillions of drifting atoms had somehow to assemble in an intricate and intriguingly obliging manner to create you .

It ' s an arrangement so specialized and particular that it has never been tried before and will only exist this once .

For the next many years , we hope , these tiny particles will uncomplainingly engage in all the billions of deft , cooperative efforts necessary to keep you intact and let you experience the supremely agreeable but generally underappreciated state known as existence .

Why atoms take the puzzle . Being you is not a gratifying experience at the atomic level .

For all their devoted attention , your atoms don ' t actually care about you - indeed , don ' t even know that you are there .

They don ' t even know that they are there . They are mindless particles , after all , and not even themselves alive .