The tiniest entity in existence within the vast expanse of the cosmos.

We often discuss the largest things in the world, such as the tallest building or the largest animal. However, in this video, I would like to focus on something much smaller - the smallest thing. Not only is it the smallest thing in the world, but it may even be the smallest thing in the entire universe. As we delve into the core components of our mortal bodies, humans are now on a mission to unravel the fundamental building blocks that make up our universe.

For instance, let's consider the smallest thing that cannot be further disintegrated. Now, let me clarify that I am not suggesting that we are embarking on an unexplored path here. Rather, we are approaching this quest with a fresh perspective, driven by our insatiable thirst for knowledge and the desire to uncover the unknown. In fact, our pursuit to understand the fundamental layer of matter dates back to our own evolution. There was a time when we believed that tiny grains of sand were possibly the smallest entities. However, everything changed when the Greek philosophers Leucippus and his student Democritus conceptualized the atomic theory of the universe in the 5th century BC. They coined the term "atom" to describe the discrete and indivisible elements of matter.

At that time, this theory was purely based on reasoning and lacked substantial experimental evidence. It wasn't until the 19th century that extensive research and experimental data validated the atomic nature of matter. So, did we finally discover the smallest thing in the universe? Does the eternal search for the building blocks of the universe come to a halt with the atom? Well, not quite. Physicists later discovered that there was much more to be unraveled. They realized that even the atom could be split. The subsequent discovery of electrons bound to an atom's nucleus, which in turn was composed of protons and neutrons collectively known as nucleons, shattered the notion of atoms being the indivisible and ultimate particles of matter.

The revelation of these subatomic particles opened up a whole new realm of exploration and understanding. It demonstrated that there is still much more to uncover about the fundamental constituents of our universe. The search continues, driven by the curiosity and determination of scientists to delve deeper into the mysteries of existence.

These subatomic particles gave rise to a new theory, suggesting that they were the elusive fundamental particles that scientists had been searching for centuries. This discovery led people to believe that these particles were the smallest entities in the universe. However, just when everyone thought the mystery was solved, scientists on Earth made another groundbreaking revelation. They discovered that quarks, which are elementary components, combine to form composite particles called hadrons. These hadrons can be categorized as baryons, which consist of three quarks, or mesons, which consist of one quark and one antiquark.

This significant breakthrough in understanding the constituents of matter established that subatomic particles, including protons and neutrons, are also divisible. However, attempts to further split quarks and electrons have not been successful so far. This may lead one to believe that the search for the smallest entities in the universe ends with electrons and quarks. Nevertheless, researchers are uncertain if electrons and quarks can truly be considered the tiniest components in the universe.

According to Professor Andy Parker, an expert in high-energy physics, the notion of fundamental particles being point-like particles without any size is a myth. He suggests that our inability to measure very short distances around them prevents us from fully understanding their internal structure. Researchers aim to investigate the inner workings of quarks by colliding them together with great force. While humans tend to believe that we can traverse any distance, regardless of how small, this presumption is reminiscent of Zeno's famous paradoxes.

Zeno of Elea, a Greek philosopher from the 5th century BC, proposed several paradoxes, one of which is known as "Achilles and the Tortoise." This paradox highlights Zeno's belief that motion is merely an illusion. It revolves around a hypothetical footrace between Achilles and a tortoise.