Has AI proven that the proton is made of 5 quarks rather than 3 quarks?

Did AI Prove Our Proton Model Wrong? PBS Space Time

Premiered June 21, 2023
Did AI Prove Our Proton Model Wrong?

The humble proton may seem simple enough, and they’re certainly common. And protons are each made of three up or down quarks. Simple stuff, right? All except for that last part. Protons are actually made of many, many quarks that happen to look like three only when we look at them in a particular way. And even then, sometimes they’re made of 5 quarks - including the charm quark.

About the Program

PBS Space Time

PBS Space Time explores the outer reaches of space, the craziness of astrophysics, the possibilities of sci-fi, and anything else you can think of beyond Planet Earth. Host Matt O'Dowd breaks down both the basic and incredibly complex sides of space and time.

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