Why "What the Hell Is...?"

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Why "What the Hell Is...?"

When I title my essays “What the Hell Is...,” I’m using the word "hell" not as a curse but as a metaphorical gateway. Just like Dante had to pass through the gates of Hell to reach enlightenment in his journey, I believe that grappling with complex topics requires us to confront challenging ideas and uncomfortable truths. It's a stumbling block to keep out those who are too careful. I paid a price to learn this stuff, the least you can do is walk through the gates of Hell...

The word "hell" serves as a reminder that knowledge often comes with a price. It’s a signal that the subjects I explore—whether dark matter, the Renaissance, quantum theory, or communism—demand curiosity, critical thinking, and sometimes a bit of discomfort. I've spent years working in Russia, Iraq, and China. My political views vis-a-vis those countries, likely won't align with most Westerners, but my words may be their only underdog in the fight. Nobody else would speak as boldly about Putin or the Chinese Communist Party. I spent a week in North Korea, which instantly makes you an expert. So I have traversed different levels of hell, acquiring a palate for theoretical physics along the way.

It is a dissuasive measure, too, to skip beyond the white picket fence of thoughts we like to occupy ourselves with. My own father didn't like the titles. By walking through this "gate," just fearlessly reading on, we open ourselves to deeper understanding and the "fruits" of this multifaceted confluence of science and mathematics, presented as shared knowledge. So, while the word may initially seem off-putting, it’s meant to provoke thought and invite readers to embrace the complexities of the topics at hand.

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