--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We're better at predicting events at the…" description: "\"We're better at predicting events at the edge of the galaxy or inside the nucleus of an atom than whether it'll rain on auntie's garden party three Sun..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/tom-stoppard-437_atoms_we-re-better-at-predicting-events-at-the_2598549.png" --- # We're better at predicting events at the edge of the… ![“We're better at predicting events at the edge of the galaxy or inside the nucleus of an atom than whether it'll rain on auntie's garden party three Sundays from now.” quote by Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/tom-stoppard-437_atoms_we-re-better-at-predicting-events-at-the_2598549.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/tom-stoppard-437_atoms_we-re-better-at-predicting-events-at-the_2598549.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/tom-stoppard-437_atoms_we-re-better-at-predicting-events-at-the_2598549.png) > “We're better at predicting events at the edge of the galaxy or inside the nucleus of an atom than whether it'll rain on auntie's garden party three Sundays from now.” [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human knowledge excels at distant, complex phenomena but often fails at simple, everyday predictions. **In simple terms:** We predict big things better than small, everyday ones. Key Takeaway Improve attention to everyday details. Themes knowledge limits humor uncertainty Mood witty thought‑provoking Type philosophical humorous When to use this quote - weather forecasts - personal planning - financial budgeting - health monitoring Key Concepts epistemology probability cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - Why do we trust complex science over common sense? - How can we balance expertise with everyday observation? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on expertise can blind us to simple truths. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atoms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atoms/) [Events](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/events/) [Galaxy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/galaxy/) [Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/garden/) [Party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/party/) [Prediction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prediction/) [Rain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rain/) [Sunday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunday/) ## Related quotes > [I am actually better at predicting or talking about 30 years later than three years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masayoshi-son/i-am-actually-better-at-predicting-or-talking-about-30-years-later/) [Masayoshi Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masayoshi-son/) > [When I grew up, my auntie was in prison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yo-gotti/when-i-grew-up-my-auntie-was-in-prison/) [Yo Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yo-gotti/) > [ \[The\] BBC was known as Auntie suggesting someone prudish and Victorian and that she still is on some days. On others she's a champagne-soaked… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morley-safer/the-bbc-was-known-as-auntie-suggesting-someone-prudish-and-victorian/) [Morley Safer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morley-safer/) > [“I suppose it's not so easy to change fate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagabe/i-suppose-it-s-not-so-easy-to-change-fate/) Nagabe > [Not all gays respond to the same stuff. Would Alexander the Great have loved Auntie Mame?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-bawer/not-all-gays-respond-to-the-same-stuff-would-alexander-the-great-have/) [Bruce Bawer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-bawer/) > [“Auntie had nothing to say to that. Whatever was on this man's mind, it had nothing to do with her. There were times when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-cronin/auntie-had-nothing-to-say-to-that-whatever-was-on-this-man-s-mind-it/) [Justin Cronin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-cronin/) > [ \[To the patronizing train conductor who had twice said, 'Auntie, give me your ticket':\] Which of my sister's sons are you? ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mcleod-bethune/to-the-patronizing-train-conductor-who-had-twice-said-auntie-give-me/) [Mary McLeod Bethune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mcleod-bethune/) > [“Precious Auntie, what is our name? I always meant to claim it as my own. Come help me remember. I'm not a little girl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/precious-auntie-what-is-our-name-i-always-meant-to-claim-it-as-my-own/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [Auntie Mame, who was the british lady?" 'Oh, she's from Pittsburgh' 'But she had the acc-' 'Well, when your from Pittsburgh you gotta do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/auntie-mame-who-was-the-british-lady-oh-she-s-from-pittsburgh-but-she/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [I had no interest in fashion when I was younger. I was such a tomboy. I loved soccer, as you call it, or sports…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cara-delevingne/i-had-no-interest-in-fashion-when-i-was-younger-i-was-such-a-tomboy-i/) [Cara Delevingne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cara-delevingne/) > [ I embrace the criticism, because ultimately (it means) the masses have seen it \[my movie\]. I embrace it for my father's story, for my… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-daniels/i-embrace-the-criticism-because-ultimately-it-means-the-masses-have/) [Lee Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-daniels/) > [She ain't my queen. My grandmother is my queen, and my auntie, my cousin, my daughters... the Queen's never done anything for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricky/she-ain-t-my-queen-my-grandmother-is-my-queen-and-my-auntie-my-cousin/) [Tricky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricky/) > [When my husband Jonas and I started Auntie Anne's in 1988, we never expected or anticipated building an international pretzel franchise. It was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-f-beiler/when-my-husband-jonas-and-i-started-auntie-anne-s-in-1988-we-never/) [Anne F. Beiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-f-beiler/) > [“Oh I'm sure you're right," Auntie said. "Probably she's just as you say. But she looks to me like a very clever girl, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-golden/oh-i-m-sure-you-re-right-auntie-said-probably-she-s-just-as-you-say/) [Arthur Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-golden/) > [Me with my auntie :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-with-my-auntie/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Tom Stoppard > [If I wanted to change the world, the last thing I would do is write a play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/if-i-wanted-to-change-the-world-the-last-thing-i-would-do-is-write-a/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [If you want to change something by Tuesday, theater is no good. Journalism is what does that. But, if you want to just alter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/if-you-want-to-change-something-by-tuesday-theater-is-no-good/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [After all these years, I definitely associate having a pen in my hand with having an ashtray just out of eye line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/after-all-these-years-i-definitely-associate-having-a-pen-in-my-hand/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [The universe is deterministic all right, just like Newton said, I mean it's trying to be, but the only thing going wrong is people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/the-universe-is-deterministic-all-right-just-like-newton-said-i-mean/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [For me, human rights simply endorse a view of life and a set of moral values that are perfectly clear to an eight-year-old child.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/for-me-human-rights-simply-endorse-a-view-of-life-and-a-set-of-moral/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [“What is an artist? For every thousand people there's nine hundred doing the work, ninety doing well, nine doing good, and one lucky bastard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/what-is-an-artist-for-every-thousand-people-there-s-nine-hundred/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Dying is not romantic, and death is not a game which will soon be over... Death is not anything... death is not... It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/dying-is-not-romantic-and-death-is-not-a-game-which-will-soon-be-over/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [I'm not interested in clothes; I just like them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/i-m-not-interested-in-clothes-i-just-like-them/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [For 10 years of my life, 3 times a day, I thanked the Lord for what I was about to receive and thanked him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/for-10-years-of-my-life-3-times-a-day-i-thanked-the-lord-for-what-i/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [You should not translate for more than two hours at a time. After that, you lose your edge, the language becomes clumsy, rigid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/you-should-not-translate-for-more-than-two-hours-at-a-time-after-that/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [No matter how imperfect things are, if you've got a free press everything is correctable, and without it everything is concealable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/no-matter-how-imperfect-things-are-if-you-ve-got-a-free-press/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [We must be born with an intuition of mortality. Before we know the word for it. Before we know that there are words. Out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/we-must-be-born-with-an-intuition-of-mortality-before-we-know-the/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Eternity's a terrible thought. I mean, where's it all going to end?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/eternity-s-a-terrible-thought-i-mean-where-s-it-all-going-to-end/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [There is truth and falsehood in a comma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/there-is-truth-and-falsehood-in-a-comma/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) [Explore all 559 Tom Stoppard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) ## More Atoms quotes > [If the polymer chain assumes a helicoidal conformation in the crystalline state, and if it does not contain asymmetric carbon atoms, it can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giulio-natta/if-the-polymer-chain-assumes-a-helicoidal-conformation-in-the/) Giulio Natta > [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) > [Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/pound-st-paul-s-church-into-atoms-and-consider-any-single-atom-it-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [A monkey is unaware that atoms exist. Likewise, our brainpower may not stretch to the deepest aspects of reality. The bedrock nature of space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/a-monkey-is-unaware-that-atoms-exist-likewise-our-brainpower-may-not/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [ \[Decoding the human genome sequence\] is the most significant undertaking that we have mounted so far in an organized way in all of science.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/decoding-the-human-genome-sequence-is-the-most-significant/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [Though an atom is invisible, unthinkable, yet in it are the whole power and potency of the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/though-an-atom-is-invisible-unthinkable-yet-in-it-are-the-whole-power/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Traditional nationalism cannot survive the fissioning of the atom. One world or none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-chase/traditional-nationalism-cannot-survive-the-fissioning-of-the-atom-one/) [Stuart Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-chase/) > [I am not sure why, but I have been obsessed by the Atom Bomb ever since it first happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lanford-wilson/i-am-not-sure-why-but-i-have-been-obsessed-by-the-atom-bomb-ever/) [Lanford Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lanford-wilson/) > [History is the short trudge from Adam to atom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/history-is-the-short-trudge-from-adam-to-atom/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The dogma of the impossibility of determining the atomic constitution of substances, which until recently was advocated with such fervor by the most able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-korner/the-dogma-of-the-impossibility-of-determining-the-atomic-constitution/) Wilhelm Korner > [I have never seen what to me seemed an atom of proof that there is a future life. And yet-I am inclined to expect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-have-never-seen-what-to-me-seemed-an-atom-of-proof-that-there-is-a/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“An atom is mostly made up of empty space. If you remove the empty space from every atom, the entire world's human population could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/weike-wang/an-atom-is-mostly-made-up-of-empty-space-if-you-remove-the-empty/) [Weike Wang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/weike-wang/) > [Nature is full of wonders; every atom is a standing miracle, and endowed with such qualities, as could not be impressed on it by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/nature-is-full-of-wonders-every-atom-is-a-standing-miracle-and/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [ “\[Think\] of an experience from your childhood. Something you remember clearly, something you can see, feel, maybe even smell, as if you were really… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-grand/think-of-an-experience-from-your-childhood-something-you-remember/) [Steve Grand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-grand/) > [The books remind us that way down deep in our hearts, part of us knows that we are creatures of light and we cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/the-books-remind-us-that-way-down-deep-in-our-hearts-part-of-us-knows/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) [Browse all 852 Atoms quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atoms/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We're better at predicting events at the edge of the galaxy or inside the nucleus of an atom than whether it'll rain on auntie's garden party three Sundays from now.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Stoppard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/we-re-better-at-predicting-events-at-the-edge-of-the-galaxy-or-inside/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Atoms" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/we-re-better-at-predicting-events-at-the-edge-of-the-galaxy-or-inside/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/tom-stoppard-437_atoms_we-re-better-at-predicting-events-at-the_2598549.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/tom-stoppard-437_atoms_we-re-better-at-predicting-events-at-the_2598549.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2e/tom-stoppard-437_atoms_we-re-better-at-predicting-events-at-the_2598549.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We're better at predicting events at the edge of the galaxy or inside the nucleus of an atom than whether…” — Tom Stoppard", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tom Stoppard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We're better at predicting events at...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/we-re-better-at-predicting-events-at-the-edge-of-the-galaxy-or-inside/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/we-re-better-at-predicting-events-at-the-edge-of-the-galaxy-or-inside/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```