Aug 14 2011
Neutrinos are one of the more intriguing particles produced at Fermilab. These particles are similar to electrons; however, as their name suggests, neutrinos have no charge. They also have a very low “interaction probability.” This means that neutrinos can pass through matter – rock, steel, people – without affecting it. Unfortunately, scientists can only learn [...]
Aug 07 2011
Perhaps the most amazing achievement – and most basic to the purpose of the laboratory – is the way in which the particles are accelerated to near the speed of light. It all begins with a retro-futuristic device with an insatiable appetite for electricity. Within the Cockcroft-Walton pre-accelerator, hydrogen gas is ionized to create negative [...]
Aug 02 2011
What is the universe made of? Why do our classical equations for defining physical behavior sometimes contradict each other? What is dark matter, and if there’s so much of it out there, why can’t we find it? The physicists pondering these big questions require big devices to observe minute particles. For over 30 years, scientists [...]
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