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An atom is pretty small. You can't even see one by looking though an ordinary microscope. An atom is the smallest unit of any basic element such as carbon, iron, oxygen, etc.

However, even atoms are made of even smaller things, such as the circulating electrons in atoms, and the corresponding central nucleus of protons and neutrons.

Protons and neutrons are composed of even smaller particles called quarks, leptons bosons etc which are considered to be the basic constituents of matter. But we also have gluons, which are elementary 'force particles' which enable 'matter particles' to interact! In fact, there are dozens of sub-atomic particles. (See links below)

HOWEVER! It could also be said that there is nothing that is the smallest thing in the world because it is always made up of something!

EVEN SO, with regard to this particular question, we are endeavouring to identify the smallest known thing in the world! It seems neither possible nor appropriate to provide information about things which are unknown.

PERHAPS there ARE particles that are even smaller than those already identified by scientists. It would seem logical to reason that everything is made of something smaller. When we know what these smaller components are, they can be added to the list of smallest (known) things.

ON THE OTHER HAND, maybe there is actually a fundamental 'thing,' that tiniest of specks that is almost nothing! Such an elementary particle, something which cannot be divided or has no sub-structure, MUST be the smallest actual thing in the world, apart from 'nothing,' because nothing is the smallest thing in the world!

Further information

Straight out of the imagination of scientists came the answer to "What is the smallest thing in the world?" They called it the 'God Particle.' While we have nothing to allow us to see it (or any chance of something that will help us see it any time soon) we can doubtless agree, everything must be made of something.

The 'god particle' apparently makes everything, and is made of nothing. Basically it is the science version of god. Many believe that we (humanity) will never see a god particle because enquiring minds have always had, and always will have, the insatiable thirst to know what is bigger, smaller, further away, more indestructible, stronger, etc. than what we already know.

For more information, see 'Related links' below.

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