A tale is more engaging—and hence more memorable—than simply informing someone, "Those berries are dangerous," because it incorporates both data and emotions. Sharing tales, even gossip, may help us learn and make sense of our surroundings. It may also serve to entertain or inform by making us laugh or cry. The first story collectors were archaeologists who wanted to save the artifacts they found. They recorded those stories alongside the objects themselves in the hope of someday understanding how people lived in the past and what kind of things mattered to them. Since then, story collecting has become an academic discipline with its own journals and conferences. But it's still used in archaeology to understand what people thought important enough to remember or forget. In museums, stories help us connect with past civilizations through evidence that may not be apparent in objects alone. They also encourage visitors to explore beyond what is usually available in galleries or gardens. Stories can also inspire people to get involved in activism or research. For example, a woman named Alice Callahan Jones was inspired by a story told by her father about going door-to-door with a salesman to sell insurance policies during World War II. She started her own company called Women in Insurance to provide affordable coverage for women.