There are many [discussions][1] on this site about the nature and reality of vacuum fluctuations. The general consensus seems to be that this it falls into the [Lie-to-Laymen][2] category. On the other hand, there are simulations like the ones by [Derek Leinweber][3] that visualize the nontrivial QCD ground state structure, which he explains as follows > Contrary to the concept of an empty vacuum, QCD induces chromo-electric and chromo-magnetic fields throughout space-time in its lowest energy state. After a few sweeps of smoothing the gluon field (50 sweeps of APE smearing), a lumpy structure reminiscent of a lava lamp is revealed. (The animation was featured in Prof. Frank Wilczek's 2004 Nobel Prize Lecture.) > >[![enter image description here][4]][4] This clearly seems to suggest that some kind of fluctuation is going on. *While it's certainly problematic to speak of particle-antiparticle pairs that pop in and out of existence, I'm wondering if there is nevertheless at least some truth to the fluctuating ground state picture?* [1]: https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/146003/are-vacuum-fluctuations-really-happening-all-the-time [2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lie-to-children [3]: http://www.physics.adelaide.edu.au/theory/staff/leinweber/VisualQCD/Nobel/index.html [4]: https://i.sstatic.net/GP0M0.gif [5]: https://aapt.scitation.org/doi/full/10.1119/1.4983116 [6]: http://www.damtp.cam.ac.uk/user/tong/whatisqft.html