Is Matter Really Composed of Pixels?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the claim made in a documentary that matter is composed of "tiny little pixels." Participants are questioning the validity of this statement, its implications, and the analogy used in the context of a potential computer simulation of reality.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the truth of the claim that matter is made of pixels, seeking actual proof for this assertion.
  • Another participant suggests that the term 'pixel' may be used metaphorically to refer to elementary particles or atoms, but expresses uncertainty about the context.
  • A third participant challenges the idea that matter was discovered to be made of pixels in the last century, arguing that the analogy is poor and that atoms were not discovered but rather proved to exist in 1905.
  • There is a sentiment expressed about the decline of traditional analogies in favor of modern computer-based ones, with a preference for older analogies like "grain of sand."

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not appear to reach a consensus. There are competing views regarding the validity of the "pixel" analogy and the historical context of atomic theory.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight limitations in the analogy and the historical accuracy of claims regarding the discovery of atoms, but do not resolve these issues.

dare05
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In this documentary on Discovery Channel:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZj1kYRT-fw&feature=related

at 1:30 he talks about that it was discovered in the last century that matter is made of tiny little pixels. I was wondering if this was true? I haven't found any actual proof for this.

Are these pixels similar to computer monitor pixels?

Regards
 
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From what I can tell, he's just using 'pixel' to refer to bits of matter, elementary particles, atoms, and the like. (But I didn't listen much further.)
 
Doc Al said:
From what I can tell, he's just using 'pixel' to refer to bits of matter, elementary particles, atoms, and the like. (But I didn't listen much further.)

I don't know either, he's saying this to make the point of the possibility of we living in a computer simulation. So from that context do you know how it applies...
 
Whatever the context, we didn't discover in the last century that matter is made of tiny pixels.
I think he just tried to make an (poor) analogy with computers.

By the way, atoms were not discovered in the last century - they were proved to exist only in 1905 (Einstein did it!), but this is very different from saying Einstein "discovered" atoms.

This new computer-based generation makes me sad sometimes.
He could have made a number of analogies, but "pixels"?
How I miss the old grain of sand analogy!
 

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