For nearly a century, physicists have wrestled with a nightmare: when you calculate the vacuum energy of space using quantum field theory, you get a number that’s 10¹²⁰ times too big. This “cosmological constant problem” has been called the worst prediction in physics – a mismatch so extreme it makes the universe we see impossible.
Our work offers a radical fix. By realizing that geometry doesn’t start with a single Planck-length point but with a two-Planck-length relation, the math changes. Suddenly, the vacuum energy comes out finite and – astonishingly – close to the dark energy driving cosmic expansion. The same framework explains why quantum systems decohere around 110 micrometers, and why gravity and even time itself emerge from the hidden structure of space.
Even better, this isn’t speculation. Experiments – from Casimir force measurements to tabletop gravity tests – can check for deviations at the 100-micrometer scale. If they see the predicted signal, it won’t just fix physics’ worst prediction; it will mark the beginning of a new era where relationships, not objects, form the true foundation of reality.