Ghost Particle: In Search of the Elusive and Mysterious Neutrino by Alan Chodos

Publisher Description

The fascinating story of science in pursuit of the ghostly, ubiquitous subatomic particle-the neutrino.The fascinating story of science in pursuit of the ghostly, ubiquitous subatomic particle-the neutrino.Isaac Asimov is said to have observed of the neutrino- "The only reason scientists suggested its existence was their need to make calculations come out even. And yet the nothing-particle was not a nothing at all." In fact, as one of the most enigmatic and most populous particles in the universe-about 100 trillion are flying through you every second-the neutrino may hold the clues to some of our deepest cosmic mysteries. In Ghost Particle, Alan Chodos and James Riordon recount the dramatic history of the neutrino-from the initial suggestion that the particle was merely a desperate solution to a puzzle that threatened to undermine the burgeoning field of particle physics to its modern role in illuminating the universe via neutrino telescopes.Alan Chodos and James Riordon are deft and engaging guides as they conduct readers through the experiences of intrepid scientists and the challenges they faced, and continue to face, in their search for the ghostly neutrino. Along the way, the authors provide expert insight into the significance of neutrino research from the particle's first, momentous discovery to recent, revolutionary advances in neutrino detection and astronomy. Chodos and Riordon describe how neutrinos may soon provide clues to some of the biggest questions we encounter today, including how to understand the dark matter that makes up most of the universe-and why anything exists in the universe at all.

Author Biography

James Riordon is a science journalist who has written for Science News, Scientific American, New Scientist, Popular Science, Washington Post, Science, Ad Astra, Physics Today, and Analytical Chemistry. He is a past President of the DC Science Writers Association and Cofounder of the Southwest Science Writers Association.Alan Chodos is a Research Professor of Physics at the University of Texas at Arlington, a former Director of the Yale Center for Theoretical Physics, and the former Associate Executive Officer of the American Physical Society, where he is a Fellow.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Don Lincoln ix
Preface xiii
Portrait of a Ghost 1
1 Neutrino Enigma 3
2 A Desperate Proposal 13
3 Project Poltergeist 31
4 Adrift in a Particle Sea 49
5 Turn On the Sun 65
6 The Incredible Flavor Changer 77
7 Shadows in the Particle Garden 93
8 Cosmic Connections 111
9 Lifting a Veil on the Universe 123
10 Made-to-Order Neutrinos 149
11 A Coherent Tale 161
12 Infinity through a Keyhole 177
13 Into the Unknown 193
14 What Can You Do with a Neutrino? 203
15 On the Fringes and Over the Edge 225
16 More to Come for Little Neutral One 239
Acknowledgments 243
Appendix 245
Glossary 259
Notes 273
Further Reading 287
Index 289

Review

"Engagingly written . . . a vital and accessible resource for those with a general interest in particle physics and neutrino research." 
—Nature Astronomy

"Written by a physicist and a Science News writer, this comprehensive story of neutrinos is the perfect primer for anyone curious about how the elusive subatomic particles were discovered, why they matter to physics, and what mysteries are still waiting to be solved." 
—Science News

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