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ENHANCE (thelemmy.club)
submitted 2 days ago by fossilesque@mander.xyz to c/science_memes@mander.xyz
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[-] arctanthrope@lemmy.world 68 points 2 days ago

I would guess it refers to the fact that we used to think atoms were the smallest things, and then we found protons, neutrons, and electrons. then we thought those were the smallest things until we found quarks and gluons. and maybe some day we'll find out that there's something smaller inside quarks

[-] tdawg@lemmy.world 9 points 1 day ago

idk if you can get smaller than vibrations in a field. At least not without a different conceptual model. But I guess that's always been the problem anyway

[-] funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works 4 points 22 hours ago

guy who loves string theory: inhales

[-] hirihit640@sh.itjust.works 1 points 20 hours ago

I'm no physicist, but afaik particle/wave duality was already a thing before quantum. So we were already representing the world as waves aka frequencies aka vibrations. But then we discovered that those waves were composed of smaller waves. The rabbit hole can go on ad infinitum, as we zoom in to these waves trying to figure out the equations behind them, but we keep finding more complexity, like a fractal.

[-] TheTechnician27@lemmy.world 18 points 2 days ago

That's probably it.

and maybe some day we'll find out that there's something smaller inside quarks

I don't think particle physicists in 2026 wake up in a cold sweat worried about preons. We are still taking measurements, but I don't think theoreticians have any reason to invoke it – and IIRC its predictions have been outright contradicted experimentally.

[-] Aquila@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 days ago

I saw it as to see smaller and smaller you need higher energy photons. To get down to the planck length the smallest possible size the amount of energy you need to resolve that creates black holes

[-] explodicle@sh.itjust.works 3 points 23 hours ago

Well, a little tiny black hole should be fine. It'll just evaporate. Stop picketing my lab.

[-] silver_wings_of_morning@feddit.dk 5 points 2 days ago

electrons appear smooth still but I think quarks appear to have some structure to them... so yeah maybe more dolls still

this post was submitted on 05 Jul 2026
149 points (96.3% liked)

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