The hunt for the platypus particle

Hypothetical particles called "leptoquarks" combine traits of leptons and hadrons - just as the platypus combines those of reptilies and mammals

All of the atoms in our bodies are made of electrons, protons and neutrons, and the protons and neutrons can be further broken down into quarks. Fundamentally, then, we are made of only two types of particles: electrons and quarks. But what do these labels mean? Why do we even say that electrons and quarks are different from each other?

 

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