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On This Day In History
1900: The birth of quantum theory

Quote Of The Day
"If you think you understand quantum mechanics, you don't understand quantum mechanics."
(Richard P. Feynman)

Carbon is the fourth most abundant atom in the universe, and yet it accounts for only 0.5% of those atoms. In order of abundance we have:

1. Hydrogen: 75%
2. Helium: 23%
3. Oxygen: 1%
4. Carbon: 0.5%
5. Neon: 0.1%
6. Iron: 0.1%
7. Nitrogen: 0.1%
8. The other 111 known atoms: 0.2%

The universe is comprised of twelve particles of matter (up quarks, down quarks, strange quarks, charm quarks, top quarks, bottom quarks, electrons, electron neutrinos, muons, muon neutrinos, tau and tau neutrinos), and four forces of nature (gravitational force, weak nuclear force, electromagnetic force and strong nuclear force.)

There is something extremely dismcomforting, yet at the same time remarkably appropriate that, at the most fundamental level, the deepest structure of the universe makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

The Quantum World