TIL Popped popcorn kernels are classified into three main shapes: unilateral, bilateral, and multilateral.

The precogs lay in their body temperature water scanning the future. They knew what could be and when they agreed they knew the future. They were the heart, the core, the thing that made Pre-Crime possible.

Two males, one female. Out of many just one combination made the control of crime work. These "beings" floating in their blood warm suspension found the killers. The ones who would not just think about what they would do in hazy, look out the window way. They would realize violence and lives would be lost.

The key was agreement. The three agreed what would be or no action could be taken. Unless they all saw, felt, and were made afraid by the future the entire resources built to serve Pre_Crime would sit idle waiting. Either the "cogs" agreed or they did not. There was no maybe.

It all came down to the popping. The "cogs" would project their minds into the stainless steel container that rested above their "pool of future vision." When they agreed, the randomly selected kernels would pop. Each popped kernel had a shape, unilateral, bilateral, multilateral, and when they all fell down the chute and had the same shape everyone knew murder was rushing toward them like a grav train rushing toward the city.

The high speed dink ping sound always caused everyone to jump. They'd either be turning back to their desks or running down the hall to get into the jump ships before someone committed murder.

It wasn't for people with delicate stomachs. Pre_Crime was a roller-coaster life. If you couldn't handle hurry up wait you washed out in a week. If you stayed on something in your veins lived to stop crime. It was an either or world. Most couldn't hack and those that could were called "different" and found their friends few and far between.

"Pre-Crime, keeping the future safe." That was what the T.V. said. The people who worked their said it was a corny joke. No one understood what they were talking about.

/r/todayilearned Thread Link - cooksillustrated.com