Since the 1960’s, scientists have theorized the existence of a particle composed of five quarks, but were unable to find it. Now, data collected at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider indicates that researchers have finally detected the pentaquark. LHC Spokesman Guy Wilkinson said that “studying [the pentaquark’s] properties may allow us to understand better how ordinary matter, the protons and neutrons from which we’re all made, is constituted.” A paper containing the findings has been submitted to the journal Physical Review Letters.
Quarks are considered to be fundamental particles – the smallest known constituents of matter. Protons and neutrons are composed of three quarks; such particles are called baryons. Last year, CERN announced the discovery of a a tetraquark, Z. According to Wilkinson, researchers will continue to search for more types of pentaquarks.