Atom Direct

Atoms are the fundamental "Lego bricks" of the universe, constructing everything from the screen you are reading this on to the very cells of your body. Despite making up everything we see, they are so small that a single strand of human hair is as thick as roughly stacked on top of each other. The Miracle of Empty Space

: If you were to remove all the empty space from every person on Earth, the entire human population would fit inside the volume of a single apple. A Stardust Heritage

: The simplest atoms, like hydrogen and helium, were created in the first few minutes after the universe began. Atoms are the fundamental "Lego bricks" of the

Our understanding of the atom has shifted from philosophical guesses to precise quantum models: What is an Atom?

The atoms in your body weren't always yours; they have a cosmic history: A Stardust Heritage : The simplest atoms, like

Perhaps the most mind-bending fact about atoms is that they are .

: Your body is a temporary vessel for these particles. Every year, you replace about 98% of the atoms in your body with new ones from the food you eat and the air you breathe. The Evolution of Discovery : Your body is a temporary vessel for these particles

: If an atom were expanded to the size of a professional sports stadium, the nucleus (where almost all the mass lives) would be no larger than a marble sitting on the 50-yard line.