We're all a little quark-y.



Above: artistic representation of a photon spreading through a quark, transferring energy that the quark then uses to replicate itself.



If you've ever opened a chemistry book, or even watched one of those guilty-pleasure apocalyptic conspiracy programs on Discovery Channel, then you know that all living things are composed of atoms, and within these atoms exist a trio of subatomic particles: the negatively charged electrons that orbit in individual pathways around the nucleus that contains the much more dense proton (+) and neutron (~) particles.

"A neutron walks into a bar, walks up to the bartender and orders a drink. The bartender, as the neutron reaches for his wallet, stops  the neutron and says: 'For you, no charge.'"

However, it does not stop there. Recently, in the past 50 years, scientists have been able to identify what are called quarks: infinitely small quanta which are bound by energy and, along with leptons and bosons, create every hadron (or subatomic particle composed of one or more of the three quantae) known to man. There exist, as far as research shows, six types of quarks: up, down, strange, charm, top and bottom. The most common are the up and down quarks, which are found bound together in protons. Quarks are classified according to color, charge, mass and spin, and are never found alone (and, thus, have never been studied outside the limits of the hadrons they compose).


But why is this important? Well, these quantas not only explain atomic matter, but also the energy levels of photons and wave-dualism, fundamental components of relativity that ultimately attempt to explain the vast, complex and unique universal womb we are carried in. Many gravitational and universal theories have been quantified from these discoveries, such as Everett's multi-verse theory (also known as parallel dimensionalism) and, most recently, the universal string theory. Mankind, after centuries of struggling with our identities, is finally on the brink of understanding who we are, and where we come from. And the fact that we can come so close to the meaning of  the true nature of our existence is, in a word, AMAZING.


Of course, there are many other elements to particle physics (heh) and quarks, but for the beginner, I highly recommend Hank Green's (musician, contemporary artisan, and environmental activist) didactic music video, very appropriately titled Strange Charm: A Song About Quarks, to understand the basics of these quark-y particles.

"What did the duck say to the particle physicist?"
"Quark!"
Alright, I admit it, that one was bad.
-M