baryon
/ˈbæriɒn/
Definition
A composite subatomic particle, such as a proton or neutron, made of three quarks; in cosmology, it refers to the ordinary matter that makes up stars, planets, and galaxies.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek word 'barys', meaning 'heavy', combined with the suffix '-on' used for subatomic particles. It was coined in 1953 by physicist Abraham Pais to denote particles with a mass greater than or equal to a proton.
In the news
The article uses the term in the context of 'Baryon Acoustic Oscillations,' which are patterns in the distribution of galaxies created by sound waves traveling through early ordinary matter. This serves as a point of comparison for the newly discovered 'Big Ring' structure.
Mammoth Structure Found in Deep Space Challenges Our Understanding of The Universe
Read the full article ↗ScienceAlert