The Eightfold Way

The Eightfold Way is a way physicists organized subatomic particles called hadrons (like protons, neutrons, and others) into groups based on their properties. By using mathematical symmetry, they found patterns that revealed these particles are related and can transform into one another. This framework helped predict new particles and understand the underlying structure of matter. Essentially, the Eightfold Way acts as a roadmap, simplifying complex relationships among particles and leading to deeper insights into the fundamental building blocks of the universe.