In the news

From Wired, December 5, 2021: Years of conflicting measurements have led physicists to propose a “dark sector” of invisible particles that could explain dark matter and the universe’s expansion. Now, four analyses released yesterday by the MicroBooNE experiment from Fermilab and another recent study from the IceCube detector at the South Pole both suggest that these more complex neutrino theories may be on the right track—though the future remains far from clear.

From Stony Brook University, December 1, 2021: Chang Kee Jung, founding member of the DUNE collaboration, is recipient of the 2022 Julius Edgar Lilienfeld Prize by the American Physical Society. Professor Jung is being recognized for his outstanding contributions and leadership in experimental neutrino physics and outstanding teaching and outreach, especially in the physics of sports.

From Physics World, December 1, 2021: Researchers say there are gaps in the theory of neutrino-nucleus interactions and that improving this theory is crucial if next-generation neutrino detectors such as the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) in the U.S. and Hyper-Kamiokande in Japan are to realize their full potential.

From New Atlas, December 1, 2021: Neutrino research and other experiments may have new magnets to use in the future. Physicists at Fermilab have developed a superconducting magnet that can perform at high temperatures and higher field strength. Read more about the work of Vladimir Shiltsev and Alexander Zlobin.

From Science, November 29, 2021: Fermilab’s Muon g-2 result announcement is included in Science’s Annual People’s Choice Award listing of 2021 science breakthroughs. Place your vote through Dec. 6. On Thursday, 17 December, the winner of Science’s Breakthrough of the Year award will be announced. Vote today using twitter.

From Institute of Physics, November 29, 2021: Professor Mark Lancaster received the James Chadwick Medal from the Institute of Physics for his distinguished work of precise measurements in particle physics, particularly of the W boson mass and the muon’s anomalous magnetic moment in April 2021.

From Popular Science, November 24, 2021: The Popular Science writing staff compiled short stories of fun and interesting science stories they have covered. Included in this quirky series is the story of how Felicia the ferret helped clean accelerator tubes at Fermilab and the 2006 raccoon invasion in the Linac gallery.

From Futura Sciences (France), November 16, 2021: Today a quantum computer built by IBM seems on the point of unraveling certain secrets of the protons and neutrons that make up our bodies and the stars. Read more about this development which includes the Don Lincoln video explaining quantum chromodynamics.

From New Scientist (UK), November 13, 2021: There are good reasons to think that neutrinos have a shy cousin that could explain dark matter, but searches have so far come up empty, writes Chanda Prescod-Weinstein theoretical physicist specializing in early universe cosmology and a monthly columnist at New Scientist.

From Universe Today, November 5, 2021: Neutrinos might make up a small portion of dark matter, but most dark matter must be something else. Because neutrinos are so close to satisfying the properties of dark matter, some scientists have argued dark matter might be a yet undiscovered variety known as sterile neutrinos.What did Fermilab’s newest experiment MicroBooNE see?