In this essay we discuss epistemological implications of relativistic quantum ?eld theory. The empirical domain of such a theory is formed by phenomena ascribed tosubnuclearparticles, sometimes still calledelementaryparticles. Thislattermoretraditionaldesignationre?ectsthelastingdesireofphysicists to eventually ?nd and isolate irreducible constituents of matter. Going down to the atomic level, electrons appear to play such a role, whereas the nuclei of atomscanbeconsideredascompoundsystemsofprotonsandneutrons, i. e. of two species of particles. This view makes sense, since the respective...

Beyond the world of atoms, at scales smaller than the smallest nuclei, a new world comes into view, populated by an array of colorful elementary particles: strange and charmed quarks, muons and neutrinos, gluons and photons, and many others, all interacting in beautifully intricate patterns.

Beyond the Nanoworld tells the story of how this new realm was discovered. From the first discoveries of subatomic structure to the present-day hunt for the Higgs particle, the reader is invited to follow the twin branches of experimental and theoretical research as they wind through the...