Did the greeks discover or invent atoms?

[einsteinsdog]

I ask this because to my knowledge atoms have never been seen, obviously they are too small to see

[loudickson71]

Figured out they should probably exist.

[stevie21]

I'm pretty sure that atoms existed before the Greeks did so we can rule out the "invent atoms" part of the question right away.

New microscopes can see atoms
http://tinyurl.com/8h2lp

[CT]

As above, they theorised that you could break an object down into smaller and smaller pieces, but that eventually, you would get to a piece that you couldn't make any smaller. This would be your 'building block' of matter.

[einsteinsdog]

Are our ideas about atoms enough to define exactly what they are .For instance how do we know neutrons and protons are round ? The books show them as round but they could be other shapes, and what colour are they? Does anyone know? Rough or smooth? They are probably defined best by a probability function as in quantum physics.Ok so they have been photographed and the image was blurred, what does that prove, nothing! Right now to me an atom is a concept

[mibn2cweus]

einsteinsdog, If you mean by �concept� that atoms are an idea than you a correct. This idea �atom� refers to something that exists.

Atoms are very, very tiny things so that direct observation , even through incredible amounts of magnification is extremely difficult; they are so small that even very tiny wave lengths of light can not resolve them into visibility.

This problem may be overcome eventually but until this is accomplished we are limited to �observing� them by way of their effects. Because of their effects we now know something about their properties and behavior and can be certain that atoms do indeed exist. Our knowledge of atoms is increasing as scientific research continues.

[El D]

I think Socrates, or certainly one of the ancient greek philosophers, theorised through logical deduction that there must be a particle so small that you cannot break it down any further - while they paved the way with the development of science as we know it, its likely a step too far to say they discovered the atom.

[bymis]

Some Scientists Beleive that there is actually strings as the smallest thing and that strings is everything,

look on google for The Theory of Everything or String Theory.