The top quark

Since the discovery of the bottom quark in 1977, physicists have searched for the top quark, the weak isospin partner of the bottom quark. Indirect evidence and estimates of its mass have been made; however, direct observation eluded scientists until recently. In the; spring of 1995, two experiments, CDF and DO, at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory showed top-antitop quark pairs created from proton-antiproton collisions. In this report, we summarize the experimental status prior to 1995 and discuss the experiments and techniques that in March of 1995 resulted in discovery of the top quark. Studies of the top quark's properties, such as its mass and production cross section, are just beginning. We present an overview of the current status of these measurements and a perspective on the prospects for the future.