The November Revolution

Plate 53 speaks for itself: “Needle peak.”

The Physics

In November 1974 SLAC and Brookhaven announced the same extremely narrow resonance at 3.1 GeV, the J/ψ. Its narrow width meant a new, fourth quark: charm.

M = 3096.9 MeV

• M: J/ψ rest energy, MeV
• Γ: total width, keV

Nov 1974: SLAC and Brookhaven at once. Width 92.6 keV: a new quark, charm.

Sources

• J. J. Aubert et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 33, 1404 (1974).
• J.-E. Augustin et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 33, 1406 (1974).
• Particle Data Group (2024).

On the poster

Plate 053, “The November Revolution”: the pixel-art plate with its slogan “Needle peak.”, the key equation and the facts panel shown above. Pixelated Physics. Physics. Personified.