Dark matter makes up greater than 1 / 4 of universe, however stays shrouded in thriller.
It was an anomaly detected within the storm of a nuclear reactor so puzzling that physicists hoped it might shine a light-weight on darkish matter, one of many universe’s best mysteries.
However new analysis has definitively dominated out that this unusual measurement signaled the existence of a “sterile neutrino”, a hypothetical particle that has lengthy eluded scientists.
Neutrinos are typically referred to as “ghost particles” as a result of they barely work together with different matter—round 100 trillion are estimated to move via our our bodies each second.
Since neutrinos had been first theorized in 1930, scientists have been attempting to nail down the properties of those shape-shifters, that are one of the vital frequent particles within the universe.
They seem “when the character of the nucleus of an atom has been modified”, physicist David Lhuillier of France’s Atomic Energy Commission instructed AFP.
That may occur once they come collectively within the livid fusion within the coronary heart of stars like our Sun, or are damaged aside in nuclear reactors, he stated.
There are three confirmed flavors of neutrino: electron, muon and tau.
However physicists suspect there might be a fourth neutrino, dubbed “sterile” as a result of it doesn’t work together with unusual matter in any respect.
In idea, it might solely reply to gravity and never the basic pressure of weak interactions, which nonetheless maintain sway over the opposite neutrinos.
The sterile neutrino has a spot prepared for it in theoretical physics, “however there has not but been a transparent demonstration that’s exists,” he added.
Dark matter candidate
So Lhuillier and the remainder of the STEREO collaboration, which brings collectively French and German scientists, got down to discover it.
Previous nuclear reactor measurements had discovered fewer…
2023-01-14 09:30:01 Nuclear reactor experiment guidelines out one darkish matter hope
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