In the latest, scientists have solved a mystery that has taken 30 years to reach its conclusion. And that is that neutrino’s have mass! Not much to be sure, not as much as a proton, in fact a billionth as much. But mass none the less. This means that scientists will have to change their view of the universe. Not only that but also as much as 18% of the mass that is was estimated to be missing could well have been found with this discovery! For 60 years the neutrino has been thought to be massless
What brought this discovery on is that somewhere on their 93 million-mile journey from the sun they change flavors. And only those with mass can change. In 1970 experiments determined that there was a shortfall in the amount of measured neutrinos leaving the sun. That they change on the way accounts for the shortfall. It is estimated that the accuracy of this changing is at 99% correct.
The Sudbury Neutrino Observatory has now seen this change happen by directly observing the changing. Measurements between November 1999 and January 2000 indicate that roughly 60% of the neutrinos change.
What brought this discovery on is that somewhere on their 93 million-mile journey from the sun they change flavors. And only those with mass can change. In 1970 experiments determined that there was a shortfall in the amount of measured neutrinos leaving the sun. That they change on the way accounts for the shortfall. It is estimated that the accuracy of this changing is at 99% correct.
The Sudbury Neutrino Observatory has now seen this change happen by directly observing the changing. Measurements between November 1999 and January 2000 indicate that roughly 60% of the neutrinos change.
