It took science to bring Joe Mauer and Lindsay Whalen together.
The two quintessential Minnesota athletes, stars on both the amateur and professional level in this state, grew up before our eyes during the same time frame.
But until Tuesday, despite all their similarities and accomplishments, they had never met.
Wait, what? You're telling me that two athletes we've known about since they were teenagers who are now 33 (Mauer) and 34 (Whalen) have never even crossed paths? How is this even possible?
Mauer shrugged. Whalen shrugged. (Of course they shrugged.)
"I don't know," Whalen offered. "Our seasons are at the same time, I guess."
Added Mauer: "I feel like I've known her for a long time."
They finally had a chance to shake hands and chat Tuesday at the Science Museum, making very Minnesotan small talk about their respective offseasons interspersed with pauses and shifting of weight from one leg to the other.