what is the smallest thing in the universe?

[Jeff7]

Schneiderguy?

 

[DrPizza]

Define "thing". Your mind can conceive of the infinitesimally small, or at least the mathematical concept thereof.

I don't think the majority of minds are capable of conceiving of something as small as a neutrino. Minds seem more wired for relative sizes of things we actually experience. Most also cannot fathom the distance, say, between galaxies, or even the diameter of our own galaxy. That isn't to say they can't discuss these sizes; it's just that at a deeper level, they can't really conceive these things in their heads.

 

[Jeff7]

I don't think the majority of minds are capable of conceiving of something as small as a neutrino. Minds seem more wired for relative sizes of things we actually experience. Most also cannot fathom the distance, say, between galaxies, or even the diameter of our own galaxy.

And quite a few don't seem to understand things higher than "a few thousand." I did an informal survey once at college, but I wonder how it is among the whole population: "Please place the following in ascending order: billion, million, trillion."
Stage 1 of that might be to see how man can define the word "ascending.":\

 

[thejunglegod]

Perpetual Motion Particle is technically the smallest particle in the universe.

 

[Murloc]

just show him that cool flash that puts everything in proportion.

 

[Chiropteran]

The only thing we know for sure, is that it certainly isn't YOUR MOM.

 

[Paratus]

my penis.

Not sure. Do you drive an M3?

 

[shortylickens]

So I take it electrons are no longer considered elementary?

 

[ichy]

Isn't the Higgs Boson even smaller?

Or just say subatomic particles.

By the standards of particle physics the Higgs Boson is huge.

If you count things with no mass then I believe that photons and gluons have a mass of zero. If you're only counting particles that have some mass then electron neutrinos are the smallest.

 

[ichy]

So I take it electrons are no longer considered elementary?

They still are, they're a type of lepton.

 

[Possessed Freak]

A point on a Cartesian coordinate system?

 

[amdhunter]

Romney's chance for an inauguration speech.

 

[JM Aggie08]

Typical ATOTer's sense of humility.

 

[Krazy4Real]

Neutrinos are the only thing we have evidence for being the smallest thing. Theoretically, it would be strings or branes. Perhaps the quantum foam.

Yeah, I'd go with Neutrinos.

 

[Iron Woode]

Sandeagle's IQ

 

[wirednuts]

nuetrinos?

 

[JTsyo]

And quite a few don't seem to understand things higher than "a few thousand." I did an informal survey once at college, but I wonder how it is among the whole population: "Please place the following in ascending order: billion, million, trillion."
Stage 1 of that might be to see how man can define the word "ascending.":\

How did the women do?

 

[darkewaffle]

The smallest thing in the world is the distance between .999repeating and 1.

 

[Fritzo]

Schneiderguy?

LOL!

 

[moonbogg]

Don't tell him, show him. Slide the scroll button.

http://scaleofuniverse.com/

Although I must say I am skeptical that there is a thing at all. Isn't everything just energy condensed? Energy isn't a thing.

 

[Squisher]

My memory?

I laughed at the double post.

 

[Pheran]

A String.

Strings are pure fantasy at this point. I'd say a quark.

 

[Pheran]

By the standards of particle physics the Higgs Boson is huge.

If you count things with no mass then I believe that photons and gluons have a mass of zero. If you're only counting particles that have some mass then electron neutrinos are the smallest.

I thought the jury was still out on whether or not neutrinos have mass.

EDIT: OK, it seems that neutrino type oscillation was directly observed in 2010, which implies that they do have mass. But no one has been able to accurately measure it.

 

[styroe]

1/∞

 

[ichy]

I thought the jury was still out on whether or not neutrinos have mass.

EDIT: OK, it seems that neutrino type oscillation was directly observed in 2010, which implies that they do have mass. But no one has been able to accurately measure it.

I think that that's a hole in the Standard Model. The theory says that neutrinos don't have mass but there's experimental evidence which says otherwise. Maybe someone who actually understands this stuff can clarify?