Origin of the "Charmed" Quark

We called the new [fourth] quark the “charmed quark” because we were pleased, and fascinated by the symmetry it brought to the subnuclear world. “Charm” also means a “a magical device to avert evil,” and in 1970 it was realized that the old three quark theory ran into very serious problems. ... As if by magic the existence of the charmed quark would [solve those problems].

Notes:

Because they needed a fourth quark due to inadequacies of the three-quark model, and it fit so perfectly as to be magical.

Folksonomies: physics

Taxonomies:
/hobbies and interests/magic and illusion (0.551058)
/technology and computing/software/desktop publishing (0.514179)
/art and entertainment/visual art and design/design (0.251602)

Keywords:
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The Production of New Scientific Terms

Periodicals>Journal Article: Glashow, Sheldon Lee (1980), The Production of New Scientific Terms, American Speech, (Summer 1980), 55, No. 2, 102., Retrieved on 2012-05-29

Folksonomies: physics