Philosophy and Physics: The Timeless Search for the Fundamental Principle of Everything

"What was the first question in philosophy? It's 'What is the world made of?' - proving that ancient philosophers were just physicists without lab coats. This query kicked off pre-Socratic natural philosophy, spawning six major responses that range from the simple to the mind-bending.
Some philosophers, like Thales, went all-in on a single element (water), perhaps inspired by a particularly refreshing drink. Others, like Empedocles, hedged their bets with four elements: water, earth, air, and fire - the original Fantastic Four.
Then we have Democritus with his atom theory (tiny, indivisible particles - not the comic book hero), and Pythagoras insisting the universe is made of numbers, an idea that would make many modern quantum physicists nod vigorously.
Philosophically speaking, the heavyweight title bout is between Heraclitus and Parmenides. In the changing corner, we have Heraclitus, whose 'everything flows' mantra influenced Nietzsche and existentialism (and possibly some motivational posters). In the unchanging corner, Parmenides argues for an unmovable universe, backed up by Zeno's paradox of Achilles and the turtle - a race that would frustrate even Usain Bolt. Parmenides' idea even got a rock and roll endorsement from Led Zeppelin's 'all is one, and one is all' - philosophy's brief foray into the Billboard charts.
So, who do you think philosophers consider the heavyweight champion in this philosophical battle royale, and why? Place your bets!"