For centuries, science has relied on reductionism—the idea that reality is built from the bottom up. However, a massive, unexplained gap separating the particles we know from the ultimate fabric of spacetime is challenging this core principle. This “hierarchy problem” suggests that our universe may be finely tuned in a way that feels unnatural, forcing us to question our most basic assumptions.
What If Reality Isn’t Built from the Bottom Up?
A mysterious 17-order-of-magnitude gap at the foundation of reality challenges our most fundamental scientific principle: that big things are simply the sum of their smaller parts.
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