Is This Helium?

In today’s post I backtrack on my helium hypothesis. I had entertained a year ago the idea that helium is formed when two deuterium atoms fuse from the side. Like this:

But then I started having doubts about this interpretation and suggested that deuterium atoms fuse end-to-end.

But then I started to have doubts about this, as there didn’t seem to be any way for the second loops to pass through the strings in front of them.

So, I decided to revisit the year-old idea, but this time depict the deuterium atoms both as non-overlapping loops and showing the direction of the movement of the dots. And lo and behold; I did indeed manage to find a shape where the two atoms fit like a glove:

So, is this helium? I would have to say that it’s the first suggestion that isn’t very cringeworthy, nor does it involve as much handwaving as before.

At least it pushes me to explore the idea further. It seems I’ll continue my detour from the Theory of Lignin a bit longer after all.

I guess I’m a bit biased, but I have to say again: “What a cool picture!”