In the standard model of particle physics, particles are considered to be points moving through space, tracing out a line called the World Line. To take into account the different interactions observed in Nature one has to provide particles with more degrees of freedom than only their position and velocity, such as mass, electric charge, color (which is the "charge" associated with the strong interaction) or spin.

A group of two hundred people close their eyes to meditate in Jerusalem and war deaths go down in neighboring Lebanon by 76%. In the same area, car accidents dramatically decrease; unwanted fires begin to subside, while the stock market rises 27 points. Mere coincidence? Or is there a deeper meaning?