Fourth Flavor of Neutrino? Physics Experiment Suggests Existence of New Elementary Particle

[Swede]

The results of a high-profile Fermilab physics experiment appear to confirm strange 20-year-old findings that poke holes in the standard model, suggesting the existence of a new elementary particle: a fourth flavor of neutrino.

The new results go further to describe a violation of a fundamental symmetry of the universe asserting that particles of antimatter behave in the same way as their matter counterparts.


http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101102185722.htm

[jgraz]

1. Wow... this is HUGH!!

A new neutrino would imply the existence of an entire new set of particles: two new quarks and a new heavy lepton. Also, if the neutrino is "sterile" (only interacting via gravity, not the weak force) it would have some major implications for the makeup of dark matter.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

5. if sterile, it could interact without creating anything,

right?

[jgraz]

6. Haha -- no.

"Sterile" means that it is not affected by the weak nuclear force. This means that the only way they interact is through gravity, which makes them incredibly difficult to detect.

If they're heavy enough to be slow-moving, you've got the best candidate for dark matter yet.

[Demeter]

2. Call it after a political figure

[Thor_MN]

3. Could this imply matter, antimatter and "sterile" matter?

Wouldn't every gravity well attract and hold "sterile" matter?

[sakabatou]

4. It tastes like pineapple