What it is
Arthur Eddington told a story about fishermen whose net had holes of a certain size. After studying their catch, they concluded there was a minimum size of fish in the sea. The smaller fish had simply slipped through. Our instruments don’t just record reality; they filter it.
The other side is hopeful. In 1887, Charles Vernon Boys wanted very fine glass threads for an experiment, so he fired a crossbow bolt attached to molten glass. The threads were surprisingly strong, and that discovery led toward fiberglass. New ways of measuring often unlock new ways of making.
How it shows up for me
At work and with money, I try to ask what my metric can’t see. A budget that tracks spending but not stress is a net with big holes.