In digital devices, we have pixels, which represent the smallest unit of size anything can be in a digital program. Something that is a single pixel in size in every dimension cannot get smaller. Depending on the software, though, sometimes their shape is not consistent with one another; a pixel could be square, hexagonal, etc.
Suppose you’re envisioning the universe’s equivalent of that, the absolute smallest total area that it is possible to envision something as. A pixel of the universe if you will, or a grain of space. If what you’re envisioning has absolutely no geometrical features it doesn’t need, what shape is it? What shape would an absolute grain of space or a pixel of the universe be?
Intrigued to ask because each shape I envision as the shape of a pixel of the universe comes with what appears to be issues; 1) if pixels are spherical, they don’t seem like they’d fit together 2) if pixels are cubes, then the universe has to answer for dimensional/directional bias as the corners would change based on perspective 3) if it’s triangular, how would light exuding from a single point work 4) if it’s hexagonal, that implies a sixfold dimensional system which seems to run us into geometrical issues again.
Answer this definitively, and win yourself a Nobel prize!
Many of the leading physicists in today’s age think the shape is a little ‘string,’ if you will.
String Theory has been folded into (no pun intended) Quantum Field Theory, which fixes some of what the original theory got wrong. Have you seen any videos from PBS Space Time, on YouTube? If not, I’d highly recommend the following videos on the subject (probably in this order):
I sure do love the implications of our universe consisting of interactions between excitations in a bunch of fields, the rays of which carry energy much like a plucked string. If that’s right, it could be rendered as audio; we would be listening to the music of the universe. It might not be good, but it would be beautiful! 😂