〃Because it's literally a sort of mirror for us；〃 Norman said。
〃Speaking of which； there's another possibility；〃 Harry said。 〃It may not be alien at all。 It may be man…made。〃 That took Norman pletely by surprise。 Harry explained。
〃Consider；〃 Harry said。 〃A ship from our own future went through a black hole； into another universe； or another part ＇＇364＇＇ of our universe。 We cannot imagine what would happen as a result of that。 But suppose there were some major distortion of time。 Suppose that ship； which left with a human crew in the year 2043； actually has been in transit for thousands and thousands of years。 Couldn't the human crew have invented it during that time？〃
〃I don't think that's likely；〃 Beth said。
〃Well； let's consider for a moment； Beth；〃 Harry said gently。 Norman noticed that Harry wasn't arrogant any more。 They were all in this together； Norman thought； and they were working together in a way they never had before。 All the time underwater they had been at odds； but now they functioned smoothly together； coordinated。 A team。
〃There is a real problem about the future；〃 Harry was saying； 〃and we don't admit it。 We assume we can see into the future better than we really can。 Leonardo da Vinci tried to make a helicopter five hundred years ago； and Jules Verne predicted a submarine a hundred years ago。 From instances like that； we tend to believe that the future is predictable in a way that it really isn't。 Because neither Leonardo nor Jules Verne could ever have imagined； say； a puter。 The very concept of a puter implies too much knowledge that was simply inconceivable at the time those men were alive。 It was； if you will； information that came out of nowhere； later on。
〃And we're no wiser； sitting here now。 We cou