Aristotle

Partially concealed by an overachieving rhododendron, the door had a tendency to startle anyone who was slightly preoccupied. Though it almost certainly didn't mean to. The only way this particular door could appear any less menacing would be to affect a lisp and develop a flair for color and design. But this was no closet door. Beyond this unassuming bit of glass and anodized aluminum lay an unrecognized phenomenon which not only had the power to set the world of science on its metaphorical ear, but, start it spinning in metaphorical circles, kicking its metaphorical feet like some metaphorical "Curly" in a Three Metaphorical Stooges routine. Metaphorically speaking.

In reality, the evidence reached far beyond the modest entrance to the penguin house. Homeless drifters around Northern Europe had their suspicions. Remote civilizations hidden deep in the Brazilian rain forest simply took it for granted. They didn't question it. It didn't even occur to them that anything so obvious might require an explanation. Anymore than why that big yellow ball sailed across the sky every day, or why some tribes despised other tribes, or why when they tried to pronounce the word for "goat leavings" and pulled the back of their tongue away from the roof of their mouth really fast it made a loud glottal clacking sound in the back of their throat. As a group or as individuals these people were not a very deep analytical crowd.

Americans, on the other hand, had to have a reason for everything. This should not, by any means, be confused with having a good reason. Faced with the unfamiliar, Americans would round up all the available pertinent technology and hurl it decisively in the general direction of the problem. In the rare instance when science failed to score a direct hit, or manufacture an acceptable solution, and none of the popular religions were willing to approach the subject, Americans always had one surefire weapon in their arsenal.

Denial.

Faced with the unfamiliar, Americans possessed the unique ability to confront a new situation with ingenuity and an indomitable spirit, reach deep inside and, somehow, muster the strength to look right past it. You see, it didn't fit what they'd been told. Newton was right. Einstein was right. Even though the majority of the population was pretty unclear on what these men had said it was generally accepted that their theories were indisputable. Many still had their doubts about Hawking, only because most folks found him to be just as uncomfortable to look at as the facts.

So it was understandable that no one had any idea Aristotle was on the verge of changing the face of both Physics and Psychology, possibly forming an entirely new science. For one thing, Aristotle was a penguin. For another thing...well, he was a penguin.