Archive

Neutrinos 101

Learn more about the invisible particles constantly streaming through us all.

Illustration: A scientist studies the forms before her without realizing the forms behind her

03/07/23

Do hidden influences give neutrinos their tiny mass?

The quest to understand the small mass of neutrinos is also a quest to discover new particles.

Illustration of a person measuring a "Supernova" car with a measuring tape

01/24/23

Ways to weigh a neutrino

For decades scientists have tried to find a way to measure the mass of the lightest matter particle known to exist. Three new approaches now have a chance to succeed.

Illustration of a scientist holding a bunch of balloons, one of which is different from the others

08/04/22

Why aren’t neutrinos adding up?

Physicists take on the mystery of the missing (and extra) neutrinos.

Illustration: Neutrinos revealed in particle physics advent calendar with scientists eyeing another possibility

08/17/21

The search for the sterile neutrino

Back when it was theorized, scientists weren’t sure they would ever detect the neutrino; now they’re searching for a version of the particle that could be even more elusive.

05/13/21

Which neutrino is the heaviest?

The question may seem simple, but physicists don’t yet know the answer. New measurements aim to change that.

The LBNF beamline will use a one-megawatt capable focusing horn to direct the charged particles that become neutrinos.

11/13/19

How do you make the world’s most powerful neutrino beam?

DUNE will need lots of neutrinos—and to make them, scientists and engineers will use extreme versions of some common sounding ingredients: magnets and pencil lead.

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06/04/14

MINOS result narrows field for sterile neutrinos

Data collected at the long-running MINOS experiment stacks evidence against the existence of these theoretical particles.

05/22/14

Proposed plan for the future of US particle physics

The Particle Physics Project Prioritization Panel’s report recommends a strategic path forward for US particle physics.

05/15/14

Long-distance neutrino search

For some physicists, remote operations centers bring neutrino experiments closer to home.

05/06/14

NOvA’s first neutrino

The first picture of a neutrino that traveled from Illinois to Minnesota shows the NOvA experiment’s advantage in studying neutrino properties.

04/30/14

Possible expansion for South Pole detector

Physicists hope to seek out the source of cosmic neutrinos by expanding the IceCube neutrino detector to 10 times its current size.

04/24/14

Massive thoughts

The Higgs boson and the neutrino fascinate the general public and particle physicists alike. Why is that?

04/01/14

The oldest light in the universe

The Cosmic Microwave Background, leftover light from the big bang, carries a wealth of information about the universe—for those who can read it.

Illustration of 30 years collaboration with countries "Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Chile, Mexico, Peru" and detectors

03/31/14

30 years of inter-American collaboration

Three decades ago this month, scientists from Latin America came to do research at Fermilab, forming the ties of a lasting collaboration.

03/07/14

Start spreading the SNEWS

A worldwide network keeps astronomers and physicists ready for the next nearby supernova.

02/11/14

NOvA sees first long-distance neutrinos

Even though only a portion of the NOvA neutrino experiment is completed, it has already seen its first neutrinos.

01/30/14

Watch the next big neutrino experiment come together

A video from Fermilab highlights some of the many steps needed to build the largest neutrino experiment in the United States.

A NOvA near detector block in its new home 350 feet underground

12/12/13

Neutrino detector block

A close look at the assembly of the NOvA near detector reveals a massive yet meticulous process.

Black and white sketch illustration of the early universe

11/26/13

How is it possible to look at the earliest moments of the universe? Physicists have their ways—and what they find out will tell us a lot about how the universe works today and how it will unfold in the future.

11/19/13

Building NOvA

Building particle detector parts for a new neutrino experiment gives students an edge in the post-graduation job hunt.

11/08/13

Ultra-high-energy neutrinos

Scientists on the IceCube experiment discovered two extraterrestrial neutrinos with energies higher than any neutrino anyone had detected before.

Photo of physicist giving speech at Fermilab

11/06/13

Answers to big questions could lie in small particles

Scientists planning the next decade in US particle physics consider what we can learn from fundamental particles called neutrinos.