the ants and the pen

Surely scientific scrutiny must be the only worthwhile form of research worthy of our modern times? After all, science builds on information that has been gathered and rigourously tested before. Science stretches the boundaries of our knowledge and moves us towards that which would once have been little more than a figment of our imagination. But what does scientific fact actually tell us? Does it always offer a full explanation, or could it simply be a mere part of the key needed to unlock a far more elaborate and far-reaching puzzle?