Are Planck Units Merely a Pop-Science Fad?

[Jezza]

As a physics undergrad, a set of natural units is nothing strange to me, we use them all the time. Having said this, I've never used Planck units. Does any area of research use them on a typical day in the office?

There also seems to be this idea that I hear from time to time, perpetuated by the likes of Brian Cox, that they hold some fundamental significance as the 'minimum time scale' and the 'minimum length scale' of physics etc. Despite this, I've never heard them talked about seriously in my 3 years studying physics. Is there any weight to this idea (or any other idea of physical significance) or are science communicators being loose with their language?

 

[jtbell]

I hear from time to time, perpetuated by the likes of Brian Cox, that they hold some fundamental significance as the 'minimum time scale' and the 'minimum length scale' of physics etc.

They don't, as far as we currently know. You can safely ignore blatherings like that.

 

[phinds]

Planck units are just that. Units. Like seconds and meters.

There IS a belief that it will be forever impossible to probe physical objects at or below the Planck Length but not that it is impossible for such objects to exist.

as for pop-science communicators "being loose with their language", that is absolutely the rule, not the exception.