Hi:

The mathematical term, C(0+), (the massed photon) is a reflection of the bottom line in the study of space time geometry....like papa bear, mamma bear and, in this case, baby bear. It means that the mass of the universe does not go from nothing to infinite, rather that the universes mass is a finite and measurable quantity, which in its smallest unit (most remote frame), the photon, still has measurable mass and entropy reducing qualities- the ability to do work. Conceptually of course, this relates to "white holes" from the photon to the "big bang" depending on ones frame, as predicted by Schwarzschilds work in two/sphere geometry. For some very interesting reasons discussed elsewhere on this site, we observe the "hemisphere" where entropy generally increases. A handheld solar calculator and a slew of other $9.95 experiments demonstrate that the photon is C(0+).

This mathematical term, because energy, space and time are related, also means that the smallest place in the universe is not a dimensionless geometric point but rather a tiny sphere (or should I say two sphere ) down around 10 to the minus 33rd Cm. or thereabouts which, depending on the universal conditions you are observing, may unfold into mama and papa spheres with a radius of up to 10 to the 40th Cm.

A fascinating fact about the universe is that it has this quaint tendency to almost, but not quite fit mathematical elegance. Nothing in the universe is really 0 or infinite (we scientists and educators don't let that bother us, we use zero and infinity all the time!)...yet almost anything is possible.

Take a moment and calculate the chances you would ever be born....almost impossible, huh? But here you are, as big as life! Zero expresses impossibility in mathematics, but "lucky" (note quotation marks- they ARE important) for you and me, we were, well not quite impossible.

The possibility of the suns rising tomorrow is one...it is a certainty (except near the poles at certain times, or under the clouds, but lets not be picky- its out there, right?) Yet there was a time when the sun did not rise, and billions of years in the future there will be a time, I can almost certainly (tongue in cheek) assure you, that the sun will not rise.

We express this "not quite even" tendency of the "real" universe (the one we live in) as Chirality (ie roughness within a system which generally has symmetrical characteristics), but we can see clearly even at our level of dimension and scale that the universe is generally everywhere and in every way, rough around the edges! Even this roughness, however, is "ad hoc" (for a purpose) and is important in the real universe. Chiral regions of the universe are usually dynamic regions where "creation", "growth" and "development" occur.

Speaking metaphysically (please excuse me, I'm trying to make a valid physical point), God called the world "very good", not perfect, or even excellent!...but I'm sure I don't have to tell you that.

The point of the term C(0+) is that there is probably no such thing as a geometric dimensionless point in the universe, nor is anything massless. To have structure "something", anything must also have the quality we observe as "mass". In my answer to you, I am expressing one of many conceptual reasons why I prefer E=mc squared over Eo=mc squared. A person who most notably worked with the term C(0+) was Karl Schwarzschild.

Best wishes,

Sam Cox