Physicists have made a significant breakthrough in understanding neutrinos, the ghostly particles that populate our universe. A new study published in the journal Science has revealed the most precise measurement to date of the upper limit of a neutrino’s mass. This finding challenges the Standard Model of physics, which suggests that neutrinos should have no mass at all. Understanding the mass of neutrinos could lead to advancements in physics beyond the Standard Model.
Researchers used the Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino, or KATRIN, experiment to measure the maximum mass of a neutrino. By studying the decay of tritium, a heavier version of hydrogen, they were able to indirectly calculate the mass of an antineutrino, the antimatter twin of a neutrino. The team found that the maximum possible mass of a neutrino is no more than 0.45 electronvolts, a million times lighter than an electron.
This new measurement is more precise than previous limits and brings physicists closer to understanding the elusive nature of neutrinos. Further research is underway to gather more data and refine the measurement of neutrinos’ mass. Other experiments such as Project 8 and the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment will also contribute to our understanding of neutrinos.
The study not only sheds light on the properties of neutrinos but also has implications for cosmology. Understanding the mass of neutrinos could help astronomers better explain the structure of the universe and its expansion since the Big Bang. This research opens up new possibilities for physics beyond the Standard Model, offering insights into the fundamental nature of the cosmos.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image of the presented article.
