50 years ago, physics underwent a major revolution

Excerpt from the November 23, 1974 issue of Science News

Physicist Samuel Ting points at equations on a blackboard that describe the subatomic particle J/psi.

Physicists Samuel Ting (shown) and Burton Richter independently discovered the subatomic particle J/psi in 1974. It quickly led to more discoveries that confirmed quarks are fundamental building blocks of matter.

Everett Collection/Alamy

A surprising new particleScience News, November 23, 1974

To add to the present ferment and confusion in particle physics, nature now presents the oddest new particle to turn up in many years….