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Neutrino Experiment Restores Standard Model Symmetry

Posted by kdawson on from the eightfold-way dept.

perturbed1 writes "A Fermilab press release announced that MiniBooNE's latest results have salvaged the Standard Model of particle physics. The experiment ruled out the simple neutrino oscillation interpretation of the 1990s LSND experiment. Neutrinos have a tiny amount of mass, required by their oscillations, as observed in solar, atmospheric, and reactor neutrino experiments. Combining this mass with the LSND experiment's results required the presence of a fourth but 'sterile' neutrino, breaking the 3-fold symmetry of particle families in the standard model." Nice to see some good news out of Fermilab after the CERN debacle.

10 of 83 comments (clear)

  1. Good news by michaelmalak · · Score: 4, Funny

    Can Fermilab next restore Newton's model? That speed of light thing is hampering processor speed and space travel.

    1. Re:Good news by MyLongNickName · · Score: 2, Funny

      What is inertia, where does it come from?

      Mine comes from nearly a decade in a sedentary job, and way too much cola over same time period. What does that have to do with the speed of light, though?

      --
      See my journal for slashdot ID's by year. Mine created in 2005. http://slashdot.org/journal/289875/slashdot-ids-by-year
    2. Re:Good news by beckerist · · Score: 2, Funny

      Basic Algebra:

      x = 100x
      x/x = 100

      as 0/0 = [-infinity,infinity]
      and [-infinity,infinity] contains 100
      x can = 0

      So, it's doable! Just make sure you get the speed of light to be perfectly 0 and I'll up that speed limit for you in a snap.

    3. Re:Good news by alienmole · · Score: 2, Funny

      We need a mod category +/-0, Nice Try.

  2. Re:Science and non-science by Tx · · Score: 2, Funny

    Maybe he meant it's good news because the experiment yielded a useful result, and nothing blew up?

    --
    Oh no... it's the future.
  3. Re:Processor speed? by TristanGrimaux · · Score: 2, Funny

    Not enough if you are running Vista!!!!!

    --
    Donde Ser Geek No Duele
  4. Re:Processor speed? by alienmole · · Score: 2, Funny

    Sounds pretty much like the last Intel P4 I had. Let me put it this way, in that context "smokin'" is not a compliment.

  5. Not an accident, but not Fermilab either by alienmole · · Score: 2, Funny

    You're right, it wasn't an accident, but don't look to Fermilab. Who has the most to lose if we finally figure out the ultimate secrets of the universe? That's right...

    God. The forbidden Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden was just the first barrier. Exploding magnets are just God's way of saying "Discovereth not the Higgs Boson, for in what day soever thou shalt discover it, thou shalt die the death." Of course, the scientists are all like "Yeah yeah, that's what you said about the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and that worked out OK. We'll take our chances." And God is all like "Grrrr! Frickin' arrogant humans! Why did I give you free will, anyway?" And the scientists are like "What-ever, you won't be such hot shit after we've bagged the boson, dude!" and God is like "Oh crap, you're right! I'm so scared! Look at me shaking! And oh by the way, have you checked the accelerator alignment lately? Muhahaha!"

  6. Re:Congratulations by ioshhdflwuegfh · · Score: 2, Funny

    You've just written a sentence.

  7. Re:The Electric Universe Theorists Called This One by An+ominous+Cow+art · · Score: 2, Funny

    It appears that nobody seems to be asking the next logical question: if the neutrinos aren't there, then what about the Sun? The Sun is there. I checked. :-)