Atom Apr 2026

Atoms are the fundamental "Lego bricks" of the universe, constructing everything from the screen you are reading this on to the very cells of your body. Despite making up everything we see, they are so small that a single strand of human hair is as thick as roughly stacked on top of each other. The Miracle of Empty Space

: The simplest atoms, like hydrogen and helium, were created in the first few minutes after the universe began. Atoms are the fundamental "Lego bricks" of the

: If an atom were expanded to the size of a professional sports stadium, the nucleus (where almost all the mass lives) would be no larger than a marble sitting on the 50-yard line. : If an atom were expanded to the

: Your body is a temporary vessel for these particles. Every year, you replace about 98% of the atoms in your body with new ones from the food you eat and the air you breathe. The Evolution of Discovery The Evolution of Discovery Our understanding of the

Our understanding of the atom has shifted from philosophical guesses to precise quantum models: What is an Atom?

: Heavier atoms, including the carbon in your DNA and the calcium in your bones, were forged deep inside ancient stars and scattered across space when those stars exploded as supernovas.