Shearing layers

Imagine building a really tall and strong tower made up of different parts. At the top, you have the flagpole, which tells everyone which castle they are at. Just below that, you have the lookout post where the guards keep watch for incoming enemies. Then, in the middle of the tower, you have the rooms where people stay and work. Finally, at the bottom, you have the strong and sturdy foundation that holds everything up.

Now, let's say we need to make some changes to the tower. Maybe we want to add more rooms or make the foundation stronger. It wouldn't make sense to just knock the whole thing down and start from scratch. That would be too expensive and time-consuming.

Instead, we can use the concept of shearing layers. Shearing layers are like different layers of the tower that can be changed, improved or replaced without affecting the other layers. So, we can work on the rooms or the foundation without affecting the flagpole or the lookout post.

Shearing layers help us to make changes to something complex without starting over completely. For example, in a building, the different layers of shearing might be:

1. The outer facade or appearance
2. The internal walls and layout
3. The building services like electricity and water supply
4. The structure or foundation

Each layer can be improved or updated without interfering with the others. This means that a building can evolve over time to meet changing needs, like having more energy-efficient heating or air conditioning systems or adding more communal spaces.

So, the next time you see a tall building, think about all the different layers that make it up, and how each one can be changed and improved without affecting the others. That's the magic of shearing layers!