a new 'visual language' that describes the interrelationships between elementary particles, both known & hypothesized. these aesthetic visualizations resulted from the collaboration between the designer Jan-Henrik Anderson & various particle physicists.
the visual language was determined by following aspects: all representations are based on one simple visual element, in which the particles have the same basic form (a 'superquadric ellipsoid'), yet reflect differences in mass, parities, functions & behavior. in addition, the particles' spins & directional velocities require a multidirectional visual quality. the visualizations show a logical coherence between the particles according to 'the categorization & decay patterns of the Standard Model', & can be easily extended to include supersymmetry, string theory, gravitational forces & the Higgs field particle. [symmetrymagazine.org|via slashdot.org & boingboing.net & thnkx Diego]