Proton Baryon Number Traced to Gluon Junction, Not Just Quarks
New STAR Collaboration results from RHIC collisions provide strong evidence that baryon number is carried by a gluon-based baryon junction rather than by valence quarks, challenging the long-held quark-centered picture and aligning with Regge theory; isobar and photonuclear collision analyses favor junction transport of baryon number, with further work expected including future Electron-Ion Collider research.