Vortex theory of atoms: Knot great
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Vortex theory of atoms: Knot great
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About this listen
What is the difference between hydrogen and helium? Before the internal structure of atoms was known atoms were thought to be like tiny pool balls. This can explain different sizes and masses, but fails to explain the difference in chemical properties. That’s when the vortex theory of atoms emerged. Atoms were believed to be vortexes in an aether that permeated everything. This theory went beyond established mathematics, so that its proponents had to develop hydrodynamics and establish a new field called knot theory. The full theory seemed to always be just out of reach, but surely with a bit more development of the mathematical foundations all open questions would be answered. In the end the downfall of aether theory took the vortex theory of the atom down with it. Do knot miss out on this week’s episode of Good in Theory!