Quantum Physics: are shapes the thing?

[Mikko-kun]

I know as much about quantum as most people here know about what's the astrological effect of TNO Orcus, but this article seems to suggest a revolutionary way to approach the physical fabric of existence.

https://www.simonsfoundation.org/quanta/20130917-a-jewel-at-the-heart-of-quantum-physics/

Physicists have discovered a jewel-like geometric object that dramatically simplifies calculations of particle interactions and challenges the notion that space and time are fundamental components of reality.

“This is completely new and very much simpler than anything that has been done before,” said Andrew Hodges, a mathematical physicist at Oxford University who has been following the work.

The revelation that particle interactions, the most basic events in nature, may be consequences of geometry significantly advances a decades-long effort to reformulate quantum field theory, the body of laws describing elementary particles and their interactions. Interactions that were previously calculated with mathematical formulas thousands of terms long can now be described by computing the volume of the corresponding jewel-like “amplituhedron,” which yields an equivalent one-term expression.

[StarMountainKid]

But the new amplituhedron research suggests space-time, and therefore dimensions, may be illusory anyway.

Beyond making calculations easier or possibly leading the way to quantum gravity, the discovery of the amplituhedron could cause an even more profound shift, Arkani-Hamed said. That is, giving up space and time as fundamental constituents of nature and figuring out how the Big Bang and cosmological evolution of the universe arose out of pure geometry.

“In a sense, we would see that change arises from the structure of the object,” he said. “But it’s not from the object changing. The object is basically timeless.”

From the OP's link.

These statements are intriguing.

[questionmark]

Shapes may be a model, but certainly not "the thing".

[Drayno]

Wow..

Geometrical shapes..

That is, giving up space and time as fundamental constituents of nature and figuring out how the Big Bang and cosmological evolution of the universe arose out of pure geometry.

Space-time finds its genesis in geometrical shapes.. I imagine there obviously has to be a tremendous amount of energy for the Big Bang to happen in the first place. In my mind I visualize geometrical shapes charging for insert length of time, before finally bending and expelling all the energy outwards, causing the initial expansion of the universe. I mean, space-time itself is bent.. Maybe as a result of the stress on the aforementioned geometrical shapes fracturing and bending from the overwhelming energy that eventually lent itself to the creation of stars and planets in the Goldilocks Zone.