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| The Realm of the Very Small |
The Realm of the Very Small
The realm of the very small consists of objects smaller than 1 mm, and with interaction times less than a tenth of a second. This is the realm of cells, bacteria, viruses, atoms, and subatomic particles. Bacteria can reproduce in a matter of minutes. Atomic events occur in less than a billionth of a second. Nuclear events are a million times faster than that. From an atom’s point of view, humans are colossal giants and human activity takes place at a glacial pace.
It is a fundamental theorem in biology that every living body is composed of individual living cells. Every human consists of billions of cells organized into tissues and organs.
We are also inhabited by a host of mostly friendly bacteria that aid digestion and help to protect our outer layers. Every cell lives its own existence, occasionally responding to external stimuli, but most of the time working with its complex internal structures and chemical processes.
We are surrounded by solids, liquids, and gases – all consisting of atoms. It is surprising that everything in the universe is composed of just 102 different types of atoms. In a very real sense our universe is like a giant LEGO set. By selecting the right atoms and combining them in the right way any crystal or chemical can be formed, and from those – you, a tree, an automobile, a mountain or a star can be constructed.
In practice, while chemists are experts at manipulating chemicals and engineers are experts at manipulating materials, it is unlikely that we will ever fabricate everyday objects atom-by-atom. It would take about a thousand-billion-billion atoms of hydrogen and oxygen to create a tiny drop of water.
Every atom contains a central nucleus made up of smaller particles called neutrons and protons. The nucleus is surrounded by a group of electrons, and the number of electrons matches the number of protons. You get different atoms by changing the number of protons and electrons. Particle physicists have also determined that protons and neutrons are in turn made out of particles called quarks.
While the cosmos is not actually divided into three realms according to time and distance scales, thinking in terms of these realms may help you to appreciate the narrow confines of your existence within the vast dimensions of the universe.
Constructing a comprehensive world view that can accommodate most events across each of these scales is a major intellectual hurdle. If you are able to construct such a world view, then it is much easier to deal mentally with the amazing variety of objects and happenings that comprise the known universe.
One immediate implication of a comprehensive world view is the realization that humans do not represent the ultimate beings, and the Earth is not the centre of the universe. We are more like fleas adrift on a raft on a boundless sea. But we are special fleas because we can learn, comprehend, and create.
The realm of the very small consists of objects smaller than 1 mm, and with interaction times less than a tenth of a second. This is the realm of cells, bacteria, viruses, atoms, and subatomic particles. Bacteria can reproduce in a matter of minutes. Atomic events occur in less than a billionth of a second. Nuclear events are a million times faster than that. From an atom’s point of view, humans are colossal giants and human activity takes place at a glacial pace.
It is a fundamental theorem in biology that every living body is composed of individual living cells. Every human consists of billions of cells organized into tissues and organs.
We are also inhabited by a host of mostly friendly bacteria that aid digestion and help to protect our outer layers. Every cell lives its own existence, occasionally responding to external stimuli, but most of the time working with its complex internal structures and chemical processes.
We are surrounded by solids, liquids, and gases – all consisting of atoms. It is surprising that everything in the universe is composed of just 102 different types of atoms. In a very real sense our universe is like a giant LEGO set. By selecting the right atoms and combining them in the right way any crystal or chemical can be formed, and from those – you, a tree, an automobile, a mountain or a star can be constructed.
In practice, while chemists are experts at manipulating chemicals and engineers are experts at manipulating materials, it is unlikely that we will ever fabricate everyday objects atom-by-atom. It would take about a thousand-billion-billion atoms of hydrogen and oxygen to create a tiny drop of water.
Every atom contains a central nucleus made up of smaller particles called neutrons and protons. The nucleus is surrounded by a group of electrons, and the number of electrons matches the number of protons. You get different atoms by changing the number of protons and electrons. Particle physicists have also determined that protons and neutrons are in turn made out of particles called quarks.
While the cosmos is not actually divided into three realms according to time and distance scales, thinking in terms of these realms may help you to appreciate the narrow confines of your existence within the vast dimensions of the universe.
Constructing a comprehensive world view that can accommodate most events across each of these scales is a major intellectual hurdle. If you are able to construct such a world view, then it is much easier to deal mentally with the amazing variety of objects and happenings that comprise the known universe.
One immediate implication of a comprehensive world view is the realization that humans do not represent the ultimate beings, and the Earth is not the centre of the universe. We are more like fleas adrift on a raft on a boundless sea. But we are special fleas because we can learn, comprehend, and create.
