Elementary-particle lifetimes are quantized in powers of the fine-stucture constant α. The constituent quark model of Mac Gregor provides an explanation why the observed lifetimes are α-spaced. The dyonium model suggests that quarks are composed of electric and magnetic charges. It is the magnetic interactions which provide a clue to the origin of mass. Nambu first suggested an empirical mass spectrum of particles based upon the fine-structure constant.