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The Cosmic Uroboros
The uroboros ranges from the smallest size, the Planck size (10–33 cm) at the tip of the tail, to the size of the entire visible universe (1029 cm) at the head of the serpent. In modern physics, forces result from the exchange of particles. The photon, the particle of light, is responsible for electrical and magnetic forces. Analogous particles called gluons carry the strong force, which holds protons, neutrons, and the entire nucleus together. The weak interactions, which are responsible for certain kinds of radioactive decays, are due to the exchange of massive W and Z particles. In a Grand Unified Theory (GUT), all these forces come together and have the same strength on very small scales, represented by “GUT” on the serpent’s tail. Image: Nicolle Rager Fuller. [Used in black and white in VFTC, p. 160. Color version at http:// viewfromthecenter.com]