Mesons are unstable and break up almost immediately. But CERN's detectors are able to discern the particular types of mesons emitted around the nuclear crash site. And the distinctive proportions of the different types, the scientists said, were exactly what theory predicted would result from the plasma condition. The data from any one experiment is not enough to give the full picture, but the combined results from all experiments agree and fit. Making a 'Little Bang' CERN scientists smashed lead nuclei together in an attempt to re-create the start of the universe.
Nuclear particle made up of two up quarks and a down quark, has positive charge.
Neutral nuclear particle containing two down quarks and one up quark. When heat is added to ice, it becomes water, then steam. Similarly, CERN scientists hoped to create a sort of gas made of quarks and gluons. At the beginning of the universe there was only quark-gluon matter. Atoms formed molecules, which allowed life to arise.