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What shape would the universe's equivalent of a single pixel of 3D space be? (lemm.ee)

submitted 1 year ago by shinigamiookamiryuu@lemm.ee to c/askscience@lemmy.world

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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.

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[–] Danatronic@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

I don't think it's likely that there is a minimum volume, at least not a discrete quantized one. It would have to be a [regular honeycomb tessellation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeycomb_(geometry)) that shows no bias towards any particular direction (i.e. no corners). There are no shapes that fulfill both of those conditions in 3D space.