A Heptaquark is a theoretical particle consiting of six quarks bound tightly together. Normally, quarks exist in no number other than three, which depending on which quarks they are, forms either a proton or a neutron. These are made out of different combinations of the top and bottom quark, the two lowest-energy quarks. It is not known why quarks are normally averse to being either by themselves or in larger groups than three, but there are many intriguing theoretical aspects of larger quark groupings.

One of these is the idea that just as protons and electrons form shells around magic numbers that are multiples of two, that quarks form stable configurations at multiples of three. There is also speculation weasel wordshyphenwho that the heptaquark may be able to accommodate one of each of the six types of quarks, forming a particle with an odd charge and an even odder strangeness, (actually, the odd charge would be even, which would be the strange thing. But only non-technical strangeness. As for the strangerness, it could be even or odd, but would certainly be strange in both senses.) All of this is very well and good, but of course the proof of any scientific discovery is in what it can do for us.

One of the most astounding factors of the heptaquark is the possibility that it can be used as a neutrino resonator. Normal matter is transparent to neutrinos, even though billions of them may be passing through you THIS SECOND. This is because in a normal triquark, only the first, pointlike shell of matter is filled out, leaving the neutrino nothing to interact with. In a heptaquark, it is theorized that the second triplicate of quarks takes up a second shell, that increases the cross-section exponentially. All of this may sound somewhat theoretical, until it is remembered that a heptaquark could exist inside of a normal atom, not changing its chemical properties, (although making it a bit more strange), but letting it accept energy from various free roaming cosmic neutrons.

So, once a heptaquark has been made and fused into a normal atom (no small task), it could be used as a cheap, plentiful energy source. Heptaquarks would absorb a small amount of passing neutrino radiation, would vibrate with it, and heat up the resulting medium, and then hooking it up to a generator is something any first year engineering student could manage. It remains to be seen whether this can be done, but as long as ideas and demand for energy are unlimited, people will attempt to see what they can pull out of the universe, and the elusive heptaquark may just be one of them.

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