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Are you intrigued by how our world works and what keeps it functioning? Just the fact that we are made of atoms is perhaps the greatest miracle in the entire Universe.

Atoms

One of the most remarkable facts about our existence was first postulated over 2000 years ago. At some level, every part of our material reality could be reduced to a series of tiny components that still retained their important, individual characteristics that allowed them to assemble to make up all we see, know, encounter, and experience.

What began as a simple thought would eventually grow into the atomistic view of the Universe.

Atoms

Ethan Siegel writes, “An atom is such a small thing that if you were to count up the total number of atoms contained within a single human body, you’d have to count up to somewhere around 1028. That’s more than a million times as great as the number of stars within the entire visible Universe.”

It’s a simple fact that the humble atom is what’s at the core of all the matter we know of within the Universe. Everything from plain old hydrogen gas to humans, planets, stars, and more. Even plasmas, found in very high-energy conditions or in the sparse depths of intergalactic space, are simply atoms that have been stripped of one or more electrons. Atoms themselves are very simple entities. But even with such simple properties, they can assemble to make complex combinations that truly boggle the imagination.

Read the entire article here at Big Think.

Ethan Siegel is a theoretical astrophysicist and science writer, host of popular podcast “Starts with a Bang!”

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Bob Jones

Happily married to Jocelyn for 44 years. We have two adult sons, Cory and his wife Lynsey and their son Vincent and daughter Jayda; Jean Marc and his wife Angie and their three daughters, Quinn, Lena and Annora. I love inspiring people through communicating, blogging, and coaching. I enjoy writing, running, and reading. I'm a fan of the Double E, Bruins, Celtics, Red Sox and Pats. Follow me on Twitter @bobjones49ers

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