|
|
Article: Supernovas and Black Holes Could Offer Clues to Subatomic Particles.(neutrinos)(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- USA TODAY
- Article date:
- June 1, 2001
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Society for the Advancement of Education. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
The next time a distant supernova glitters in the night sky, scientists may be able to solve a mystery about subatomic particles on Earth. Richard Boyd, professor of physics and astronomy, Ohio State University, Columbus, and his colleagues have devised a way to use the speed of material streaming outward from a supernova to measure the mass of an elusive subatomic particle known as the neutrino. Knowing the mass of this particle may help scientists better understand nuclear reactions inside stars, as well as the so-called missing dark matter of the universe.
Scientists currently believe that three types of neutrinos exist, each with a different mass about 10,000 ...