Neutrino

Researchers hope to use neutrinos to find the sources of cosmic radiation. New algorithms out of Bochum are aiding in the search, and have also eliminated a few candidates.

Author(s): S. P. Ahlen et al. (DESI Collaboration)An alternative to the standard cosmological model where matter is converted to dark energy during stellar collapse results in an accurate cosmological expansion history and a summed neutrino mass posterior distribution peaked at positive mass. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 081003] Published Thu Aug 21, 2025

Researchers hope to use neutrinos to find the sources of cosmic radiation. New algorithms are aiding in the search, and have also eliminated a few candidates.

Author(s): Nikhil KarthikThe MicroBooNE experiment’s five-year dataset has shown that an unpredicted neutrino-flavor oscillation is not the cause of anomalous results obtained by its predecessor. [Physics 18, s115] Published Thu Aug 21, 2025

Country-size array of radio antennas could trace ultra–high-energy particles back to supernovae and black holes

Physicist Carlos Argüelles-Delgado gives us an introduction to this one-of-a-kind facility, one of the most successful neutrino detectors in the world.

Neutrinos—ghostly particles that rarely interact with normal matter—are the sun's secret messengers. These particles are born deep within the sun, a byproduct of the nuclear fusion process which powers all stars.

"We have never seen anything quite like it."

Interaction could lead to experiments that challenge the Standard Model The post Elusive scattering of antineutrinos from nuclei spotted using small detector appeared first on Physics World.

A tiny 3 kg detector has made a huge leap in neutrino science by detecting rare CEvNS interactions at a Swiss reactor. This elusive effect, long predicted and hard to measure, was captured with unprecedented clarity. The achievement could kick off a new era of compact, mobile neutrino detectors with powerful applications.

Neutrinos are fundamental particles characterized by no electric charge and very small masses, which are known to interact with other matter via the weak force or gravity. While these particles have been the focus of numerous research studies, the processes through which they acquire their masses have not yet been elucidated.

A relatively small detector caught neutrinos from a nuclear reactor using a technique known as coherent scattering

Physicists recorded the lowest-energy neutrino event yet, using signals from the particles’ antimatter counterpart produced in a nuclear reactor.

Neutrinos are extremely elusive elementary particles. Day and night, 60 billion of them stream from the sun through every square centimeter of Earth every second, which is transparent to them. After the first theoretical prediction of their existence, decades passed before they were actually detected. These experiments are usually extremely large to account for the very weak interaction of neutrinos with matter.

Neutrinos, ghostly particles barely interacting with matter, may secretly be reshaping the fates of massive stars. New research suggests that as stars collapse, they form natural "neutrino colliders," allowing scientists to probe these elusive particles in ways never possible on Earth. If neutrinos do interact through yet-undiscovered forces, they could cause stars to collapse into black holes instead of neutron stars, reshaping how we understand cosmic evolution.

Neutrinos are subatomic particles with no charge and very little mass that are known to weakly interact with other matter in the universe. Due to their weak interactions with other particles, these particles are notoriously difficult to detect.

Author(s): R. Abbasi et al. (IceCube Collaboration)Failing to see any high-energy neutrinos allowed researchers to calculate an upper limit on the fraction of high-energy cosmic rays that are protons. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 031001] Published Tue Jul 15, 2025

Neutrinos are cosmic tricksters, paradoxically hardly there but lethal to stars significantly more massive than the sun.

Neutrinos are elementary particles that are predicted to be massless by the standard model of particle physics, yet their observed oscillations suggest that they do in fact have a mass, which is very low. A further characteristic of these particles is that they only weakly interact with other matter, which makes them very difficult to detect using conventional experimental methods.

Author(s): M. Aker et al. (KATRIN Collaboration)The KATRIN experiment places competitive constraints on the general neutrino interaction couplings using a fraction of the dataset from their second measurement campaign. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 134, 251801] Published Mon Jun 23, 2025

David Moore claims his table-top set-up is on the cusp of detecting ghostly prticles, reports Matin Durrani The post Yale researcher says levitated spheres could spot neutrinos ‘within months’ appeared first on Physics World.

Author(s): A. Mattera, A. A. Sonzogni, E. A. McCutchan, C. J. Sears, and C. BillingsNuclear reactors create copious amounts of antineutrinos, but calculating their spectrum is challenging because one must understand in great detail both the available nuclear data and which physics contributions are relevant. Accurate new experiments have shown a 5% neutrino deficit in the detected flux known as the “reactor antineutrino anomaly”, and an excess at 5 to 7 MeV. The authors explore the effect of one particular and so far not fully appreciated input, the ratio of fission yield from an isomeric state to the total yield, known as the isomeric yield ratio (IYR) and which reflects different endpoint energies of the antineutrino spectra. Examining newly evaluated IYRs, the authors find that the values for certain isotopes significantly increase the antineutrino spectrum around

Scientists have found a neutrino that could come from a gamma-ray burst, an active black hole or a collision between a cosmic ray and photons in the cosmic microwave background.

Hypothetical fourth neutrino flavour is absent from new data from Fermilab's NOvA experiment The post Sterile neutrinos are a no-show (again) appeared first on Physics World.

New maximum for notoriously shy particle is 0.45 eV – 1 million times less than the electron The post KATRIN sets tighter limit on neutrino mass appeared first on Physics World.

In space, energetic neutrinos are usually paired with energetic gamma rays. Galaxy NGC 1068, however, emits strong neutrinos and weak gamma rays, which presents a puzzle for scientists to solve. A new paper posits that helium nuclei collide with ultraviolet photons emitted by the galaxy's central region and fragment, releasing neutrons that subsequently decay into neutrinos without producing gamma rays. The finding offers insight into the extreme environment around the supermassive black holes at the center of galaxies like NGC 1068 and our own and enhances our understanding of the relationships between radiation and elementary particles that could lead to technological advances we haven't yet imagined.

Technology is being pushed to its very limits. The upgrades to the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN slated for the next few years will increase data transfer rates beyond what the current neutrino detector for the FASER experiment can cope with, requiring it to be replaced by a new kind of more powerful detector.

Buried deep in the ice in the Antarctic are "eyes" that can see elementary particles called neutrinos, and what they've observed is puzzling scientists: a remarkably strong neutrino signal accompanied by a surprisingly weak gamma-ray emission in the galaxy NGC 1068, also known as the Squid galaxy.

Neutrinos and antineutrinos are elementary particles with small but unknown mass. High-precision atomic mass measurements have revealed that beta decay of the silver-110 isomer has a strong potential to be used for the determination of electron antineutrino mass. The result is an important step paving the way for future antineutrino experiments.

Neutrinos and antineutrinos are elementary particles with small but unknown mass. High-precision atomic mass measurements at the Accelerator Laboratory of the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, have revealed that beta decay of the silver-110 isomer has a strong potential to be used for the determination of electron antineutrino mass. The result is an important step in paving the way for future antineutrino experiments.

Neutrinos, elusive fundamental particles, can act as a window into the center of a nuclear reactor, the interior of the Earth, or some of the most dynamic objects in the universe. Their tendency to change "flavors" may provide clues into the prominence of matter over antimatter in the universe or explain the existence of dark matter.

New data establish an upper limit of 0.45 eV/c2 (equivalent to 8 x 10-37 kilograms) for the neutrino mass. KATRIN measures neutrino mass in the laboratory using a model-independent method.

In just the first 259 days of data collection, KATRIN, a beta-decay-based detector in Germany, has set the smallest upper limit yet on the mass of the neutrino—the universe’s lightest massive particle

Neutrinos are among the most enigmatic particles in the universe. They are omnipresent yet interact extremely rarely with matter.

Physicists in Germany have performed the most accurate measurement of the mass of the fundamental particle neutrinos. The finding deepens physicists’ attempts to uncover laws of nature beyond even the best current theories. The standard model of particle physics – the best theory which explains the fundamental forces and particles of nature – posits that […]

A new measurement finds the universe's teensiest particles weigh no more than one-millionth the mass of an electron.

Physicists have set a new upper limit on the mass of neutrinos. And the finding could poke a big hole in the Standard Model of particle physics.

Nature is the foremost international weekly scientific journal in the world and is the flagship journal for Nature Portfolio. It publishes the finest peer-reviewed research in all fields of science and technology on the basis of its originality, importance, interdisciplinary interest, timeliness, accessibility, elegance and surprising conclusions. Nature publishes landmark papers, award winning news, leading comment and expert opinion on important, topical scientific news and events that enable readers to share the latest discoveries in science and evolve the discussion amongst the global scientific community.

Nature is the foremost international weekly scientific journal in the world and is the flagship journal for Nature Portfolio. It publishes the finest peer-reviewed research in all fields of science and technology on the basis of its originality, importance, interdisciplinary interest, timeliness, accessibility, elegance and surprising conclusions. Nature publishes landmark papers, award winning news, leading comment and expert opinion on important, topical scientific news and events that enable readers to share the latest discoveries in science and evolve the discussion amongst the global scientific community.

A new directly determined limit on the neutrino’s mass arrives as those from cosmology become murkier

Scientists trying to discover the elusive mass of neutrinos, tiny "ghost particles" that could solve some of the universe's biggest mysteries, announced a new limit on Thursday for how much they could weigh, halving the previous estimate.

A new estimate of the ghostly particle’s maximum possible mass brings physicists a tad closer to understanding the universe.

A new estimate of the ghostly particle’s maximum possible mass brings physicists a tad closer to understanding the universe.

A new estimate of the ghostly particle’s maximum possible mass brings physicists a tad closer to understanding the universe.

The KATRIN experiment in Germany nearly halved the maximum possible mass for neutrinos, setting it at 0.45 electron volts.

Hong Kong-born physicist recalls honeymoon era of collaboration and ‘stroke of luck’ that launched Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment.

Learn why the neutrino detector aims to capture elusive particles, hoping to reveal why the universe is the way it is.

Author(s): E. Aprile et al. (XENON Collaboration)Bounds on GeV-scale dark matter are placed for the first time in the range of parameter space effected by the neutrino fog. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 134, 111802] Published Thu Mar 20, 2025

Last month's discovery of the most energetic neutrino yet detected is incredibly exciting for us particle physicists – but it also raises many questions, says Chanda Prescod-Weinstein

Nature is the foremost international weekly scientific journal in the world and is the flagship journal for Nature Portfolio. It publishes the finest peer-reviewed research in all fields of science and technology on the basis of its originality, importance, interdisciplinary interest, timeliness, accessibility, elegance and surprising conclusions. Nature publishes landmark papers, award winning news, leading comment and expert opinion on important, topical scientific news and events that enable readers to share the latest discoveries in science and evolve the discussion amongst the global scientific community.

Nature is the foremost international weekly scientific journal in the world and is the flagship journal for Nature Portfolio. It publishes the finest peer-reviewed research in all fields of science and technology on the basis of its originality, importance, interdisciplinary interest, timeliness, accessibility, elegance and surprising conclusions. Nature publishes landmark papers, award winning news, leading comment and expert opinion on important, topical scientific news and events that enable readers to share the latest discoveries in science and evolve the discussion amongst the global scientific community.

Quantum gravity is the missing link between general relativity and quantum mechanics, the yet-to-be-discovered key to a unified theory capable of explaining both the infinitely large and the infinitely small. The solution to this puzzle might lie in the humble neutrino, an elementary particle with no electric charge and almost invisible, as it rarely interacts with matter, passing through everything on our planet without consequences.

Author(s): R. Abbasi et al. (IceCube Collaboration)Strong constraints from atmospheric neutrinos are placed on oscillation parameters using the DeepCore subdetector of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 134, 091801] Published Fri Mar 07, 2025

Neutrinos generated through solar fusion reactions travel effortlessly through the sun's dense core. Each specific fusion process creates neutrinos with distinctive signatures, potentially providing a method to examine the sun's internal structure. Multiple neutrino detection observatories on Earth are now capturing these solar particles, which can be analyzed alongside reactor-produced neutrinos with the data eventually enabling researchers to construct a detailed map of the interior of the sun.

Neutrinos generated through solar fusion reactions travel effortlessly through the Sun's dense core. Each specific fusion process creates neutrinos with distinctive signatures, potentially providing a method to examine the Sun's internal structure. Multiple neutrino detection observatories on Earth are now capturing these solar particles, which can be analysed alongside reactor-produced neutrinos with the data eventually enabling researchers to construct a detailed map of the interior of the Sun.

Neutrinos generated through solar fusion reactions travel effortlessly through the Sun’s dense core. Each specific fusion process creates neutrinos with distinctive signatures, potentially providing a method to examine the Sun’s internal structure. Multiple neutrino detection observatories on Earth are now capturing these solar particles, which can be analysed alongside reactor-produced neutrinos with the data eventually … Continue reading "Could Neutrinos Tell Us About the Inside of the Sun?" The post Could Neutrinos Tell Us About the Inside of the Sun? appeared first on Universe Today.

Neutrinos have always been difficult to study because their small mass and neutral charge make them especially elusive. Scientists have made a lot of headway in the field and can now detect three flavors, or oscillation states, of neutrinos. Other flavors continue to be elusive—though that could be because they don't even exist.

Author(s): Charles DayA comparison of neutrinos measured 1 km and 810 km from their source finds no evidence of a putative fourth neutrino flavor. [Physics 18, s30] Published Wed Feb 26, 2025

Author(s): M. A. Acero et al. (NOvA Collaboration)A comparison of neutrinos measured 1 km and 810 km from their source finds no evidence of a putative fourth neutrino flavor. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 134, 081804] Published Wed Feb 26, 2025

Author(s): Bernhard Müller, Alexander Heger, and Jade PowellSupernova theory has struggled to explain the lightest known neutron star candidate with an accurate mass determination, the $1.174{M}_{⊙}$ companion in the eccentric compact binary system $\mathrm{J}0453+1559$. To improve the theoretical lower limit for neutron star birth masses, we perform 3D supe… [Phys. Rev. Lett. 134, 071403] Published Fri Feb 21, 2025

When it comes to particles, only photons are more abundant than neutrinos, yet detecting neutrinos is extremely difficult. Scientists have gone to extreme lengths to detect them, including building neutrino observatories in deep, underground mines and in the deep, clear ice of Antarctica. One of their latest efforts to detect neutrinos is KM3NeT, which is … Continue reading "An Unfinished Detector has Already Spotted the Highest-Energy Neutrino Ever Seen" The post An Unfinished Detector has Already Spotted the Highest-Energy Neutrino Ever Seen appeared first on Universe Today.

Particle could have been created by a blazar or a cosmic collision The post Ultra-high-energy neutrino detection opens a new window on the universe appeared first on Physics World.

An international team of physicists has successfully measured the size of a certain type of neutrino to a certain degree. In their paper published in the journal Nature, the group describes experiments they conducted that involved measuring the radioactive decay of the element beryllium.

Scientists have just detected a neutrino that is thirty times more energetic than any previously detected anywhere in the world. This exceptional discovery opens up new perspectives for understanding extreme energy phenomena in the Universe and the origin of cosmic rays.

Recent research on lightweight particles called neutrinos might have passed you by – much like the more than 10 trillion neutrinos passing through your body each second. Now, our new paper – with 21 countries, more than 60 institutes and around 360 scientists contributing – reports the observation of the most energetic neutrino yet. Despite […]

Recent research on lightweight particles called neutrinos might have passed you by—much like the more than 10 trillion neutrinos passing through your body each second. Now, our new paper—with 21 countries, more than 60 institutes and around 360 scientists contributing—reports the observation of the most energetic neutrino yet.

A neutrino detector submerged in the Mediterranean Sea has sniffed out the most energetic ghost particle yet, scientists reported Wednesday.

A “ghost particle” discovered by a detector in the Mediterranean carried 30 times more energy than any neutrino observed to date

Author(s): Michael SchirberA new underwater neutrino experiment—for now, only partially installed—has detected what appears to be the highest-energy cosmic neutrino observed to date. [Physics 18, 35] Published Wed Feb 12, 2025

Scientists say the source of a high-energy particle that zipped through the Mediterranean Sea in 2023 is a mystery

Neutrino was over 10,000 times over the limits of our best particle accelerator.

It’s the most energetic particle of its kind ever discovered, and scientists have no idea where it came from.

Our estimates of the size of a neutrino span from smaller than an atomic nucleus to as large as a few metres, but now we are starting to narrow down its true value

A neutrino with more energy than we've ever seen before was picked up by a detector on the floor of the Mediterranean Sea, and it seems to have a distant cosmic origin

It’s the most energetic particle of its kind ever discovered, and scientists have no idea where it came from.

A detector sitting on the sea floor off the coast of Italy has made a remarkable discovery: the first observation of an ultra-high energy neutrino. The kilometre cubic neutrino telescope (KM3NeT) spotted the neutrino in 2023. The event, dubbed KM3-230213A, was subject to meticulous analysis before being confirmed as the highest energy neutrino observed in […]

Scientists have detected the highest-energy ghost particle neutrino ever, but did it come from a supermassive black hole particle accelerator aiming its jet straight at Earth, or from a cosmic fossil?

A deep-sea detector glimpsed a particle with 220 million billion electron volts of energy — around 20 times as energetic as any neutrino seen before.

The staggeringly energetic neutrino likely came from beyond our galaxy, and physicists have two main suspects.

Physicists have detected the highest-energy neutrino ever felt on Earth. The neutrino, detected at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea, has nearly 100 times more energy than any ghost particle previously detected.

An extraordinary event consistent with a neutrino with an estimated energy of about 220 PeV (220 x 1015 electron volts or 220 million billion electron volts), was detected on February 13, 2023, by the ARCA detector of the kilometer cubic neutrino telescope (KM3NeT) in the deep sea.

From an underwater observatory in the South China Sea to hybrid rice, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent science reporting.

In the darkness of the ocean depths, Chinese scientists are hoping to solve one of the enduring mysteries of the universe.