Basic Constituents of the Visible and Invisible Matter - A Microscopic View of the Universe

One of the greatest achievements of twentieth century physics is the discovery of a very close link between the microcosm and the macrocosm. This follows from the two basic principles of quantum mechanics and relativity, the uncertainty principle and the mass energy equivalence, along with the standard big bang model of cosmology. As we probe deeper into the microcosm we encounter states of higher mass and energy, which were associated with the early history of the universe. Thus discovery of the atomic nucleus followed by the nuclear particles, quarks & gluons and finally the $W$ & $Z$ bosons have recreated in the laboratory the forms of matter that abounded in the very early universe. This has helped us to trace back the history of the universe to within a few picoseconds of its creation. Finally the discovery of the Higgs and supersymmetric particles will help to solve the mystry of the invisible matter, which abound throughout the universe today, as relics of that early history.