What are Chords? What is the smallest unit in physics?

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The discussion centers on the concept of "chords" in relation to physics, specifically questioning a claim that sound waves are the fundamental building blocks of the universe. Participants express skepticism about the validity of this claim, suggesting it may stem from a misunderstanding or misinterpretation of scientific analogies, particularly in string theory. The analogy by physicist Frank Wilczek compares atoms to musical instruments, highlighting the relationship between quantum mechanics and sound waves. The conversation emphasizes the importance of clarity in scientific communication, especially regarding complex theories like string theory. Overall, the notion that sound waves are the basic unit of the universe is dismissed as nonsensical.
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What are Chords? What is the smallest "unit" in physics?

Someone told me they read a Yahoo AP article stating the most basic "building block" of the universe was a sound wave, and upon discovery this had been named a chord(or perhaps cord/kord/etc).

Again, this was an AP article, but I haven't found anything on it.

What is this?
 
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That's nonsense I'm afraid.
Are you sure this wasn't april the 1st?
 
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I bet it was http://today.lbl.gov/2012/02/28/smoot-helps-grateful-dead%E2%80%99s-mickey-hart-interpret-music-of-the-cosmos/ .

More seriously, Wilczek has used a musical analogy. I can't locate it now, but IIRC it was about the Schroedinger wave equation and its eigenstates, which are analogous to the wave equation for sound and its harmonics.
 
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Yeah...Someone had told me it might be a misunderstanding of a string theory analogy ..something about tiny strings being the most basic bit of the universe, and these strings vibrate. With different vibrations creating a different particle, etc.
 

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