Physicists Samuel Ting and Burton Richter independently discovered the subatomic particle J/psi in 1974, leading to further research into the properties of quarks. The discovery confirmed that quarks are fundamental building blocks of matter.
The November Revolution in Physics
Particle Physics
Excerpt from the November 23, 1974 issue of Science News
In 1974, physicists Samuel Ting and Burton Richter independently discovered the subatomic particle J/psi. This discovery marked a significant turning point in physics, leading to further research into the properties of quarks.
The J/psi particle could be explained only as a mash-up of a new type of quark, the charm quark, and its antimatter counterpart. This finding confirmed that quarks are fundamental building blocks of matter.
A New Type of Quark: The Charm Quark
The discovery of the charm quark marked a major revolution in our understanding of matter. It paved the way for further research into the properties of quarks and their role in particle physics.
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