**Carl F. Diether III and Joy Christian \***

Einstein Centre for Local-Realistic Physics, 15 Thackley End, Oxford OX2 6LB, UK; fred.diether@einstein-physics.org

**\*** Correspondence: jjc@bu.edu

Received: 7 July 2020; Accepted: 3 August 2020; Published: 5 August 2020

**Abstract:** Two of the major open questions in particle physics are: (1) Why do the elementary fermionic particles that are so far observed have such low mass-energy compared to the Planck energy scale? (2) What mechanical energy may be counterbalancing the divergent electrostatic and strong force energies of point-like charged fermions in the vicinity of the Planck scale? In this paper, using a hitherto unrecognised mechanism derived from the non-linear amelioration of the Dirac equation known as the Hehl–Datta equation within the Einstein–Cartan–Sciama–Kibble (ECSK) extension of general relativity, we present detailed numerical estimates suggesting that the mechanical energy arising from the gravitationally coupled self-interaction in the ECSK theory can address both of these questions in tandem.

**Keywords:** Einstein–Cartan gravity; Hehl–Datta equation; ultraviolet divergence; renormalisation; modified gravity; quantum electrodynamics; hierarchy problem; torsion; spinors
