Instances where two or more objects strike each other with force, or conflicts between opposing ideas, interests, or groups.
From Latin collisio, from collidere meaning 'to strike together', from com- meaning 'together' and laedere meaning 'to strike, hurt'. Entered English in the 15th century initially in physical contexts, later extended metaphorically to describe conflicts between abstract concepts or social forces.
In particle physics, controlled collisions in accelerators have revealed the fundamental building blocks of matter, making 'collision' one of the most scientifically productive concepts in modern physics. What seems destructive - things crashing together - actually creates our deepest understanding of reality's structure.
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