Your universe is made up of the data your senses provide. That world, however, does not exist. What we take for granted as the unchanging reality of the world is actually a sophisticated reconstruction, a virtual reality produced by the intricate workings of our minds in conjunction with the wiring of our nerve systems. But what if the wiring malfunctions? What transpires if connections break down or if brand-new, unanticipated connections are made? The environment we live in can change and mutate, becoming strange and unfamiliar, due to minute changes in the microbiology of our nerve systems.