Rongrong Ma

“This new understanding reshapes how we think about the structure of matter and deepens our knowledge of the most fundamental element that is responsible for the universe in its current form.”

Rongrong Ma · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-16

Ma explains the broader significance of the finding for understanding the structure of matter.

“Our research challenges the long-held idea that baryon number is simply divided among and carried by the three quarks,”

Rongrong Ma · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-16

Ma says the research challenges the long-held view that quarks alone carry baryon number.

“Even though we start with nuclei that contain roughly 100 protons and 100 neutrons, these collisions create thousands of new particles; 99% of the energy is transformed into new particles,”

Rongrong Ma · said date not stated · reported 2026-08-16

Ma describes how RHIC collisions convert nearly all energy into thousands of new particles.