Ghost Particle

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.Preface
Portrait of a Ghost
1 Neutrino Enigma
2 A Desperate Proposal
3 Project Poltergeist
4 Adrift in a Particle Sea
5 Turn on the Sun
6 The Incredible Flavor Changer
7 Shadows in the Particle Garden
8 Cosmic Connections
9 Lifting a Veil on the Universe
10 Made to Order Neutrinos
11 A Coherent Tale
12 Infinity Through a Keyhole
13 Into the Unknown
14 What Can You Do with a Neutrino?
15 On the Fringes, and Over the Edge
16 More to Come for Little Neutral One
Notes
Further Reading
Appendix
Glossary
Index“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“In the time it takes to read this blurb, over 500 trillion neutrinos will pass harmlessly through your body. This readable and informative book will introduce you to state-of-the-art particle physics and some of the biggest mysteries of the universe.”
—James Kakalios, Physics Professor at the University of Minnesota, author of The Amazing Story of Quantum Mechanics

“Neutrinos are the final frontier of the known particles. They exist, but remain mysterious in many ways. Ghost Particle is an ideal introduction to, and captivating history of, these almost-invisible particles that are zipping through our bodies all the time.”
—Sean Carroll, author of The Biggest Ideas in the Universe: Space, Time, and MotionJames 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.