We forge ahead with scientific quests,but even zealous efforts hit a walltrying to make what nature most detests:nothing at all.It seems like such a little thing to do—removing every molecule. We findthat though we displace almost all, a fewremain behind.It takes attentive planning and robustequipment in a lab to do the choreof pumping vacuum pressure down to justa millitorr.The stalwart researcher persists and losessleep, but can’t reach perfection—I’m afraidthe universe still stubbornly refusesto be unmade.Even in deepest space, a cubic metercontains some particles. We must assessthere is no void, although conditions teeteron emptiness.The quantum mysteries will vex and wearythe brightest mind, the sharpest physicist.True nothingness, while wonderful in theory,does not exist.