Is Space Pixelated?

Fermion Physics

Water is fluid, soft, and yielding” -Lao Tzu

But is space the same? Is it as continuous as a lazy stroll through the park, or is there more to this vast expanse than meets the eye? Even as you read this article while waiting for something more exciting to capture your attention, time passes continuously from one second to the next. But we know from quantum mechanics that things we previously thought continuous sometimes aren’t. Could the same be true for space and time? In other words, is spacetime pixelated?

Discrete vs Continuous

Let’s start by diving into the world of discrete versus continuous. In classical mechanics, quantities like energy are expected to be continuous, smoothly flowing like a river. However, quantum mechanics throws a curveball at our preconceived notions. It reveals that even seemingly continuous entities can sometimes take on specific, discrete values. Think of it as a cosmic game of hopscotch, where energy “jumps” from one level to another. Now, imagine a tiny ant exploring a meter stick. In a continuous space, that determined ant would cover every inch of the stick. But in a pixelated universe, gaps would appear, spaces where the ant never sets its six tiny feet. Instead of crawling smoothly, it would seemingly teleport between those gaps. But we would perceive the ant’s…