The Tau Neutrino Has Finally Been Seen. Has the Higgs also been Seen?

OCT 01, 2000

The existence of the third neutrino was hardly in doubt. But it took the sub‐micron precision and electronic sophistication of a modern photo‐emulsion target to find the decay of its telltale collision product.

DOI: 10.1063/1.1325185

Bertram M. Schwarzschild

Twenty‐five years after the discovery of the tau lepton ${(τ}^{\pm}),$ its neutrino ${(ν}_{τ})$ has at long last been detected. At a Fermilab seminar in July, Byron Lundberg of the international DONUT (Direct Observation of Nu Tau) collaboration reported that five months of exposing a photographic‐emulsion target to an intense neutrino beam from the Tevatron had netted four identifiable $ν_{τ}$ interactions.

This article is only available in PDF format

Physics Today is looking for a Senior Editor. Apply Now.

Related content

News

Article

Data reanalysis throws existence of an ocean on Titan into question

The finding that the Saturnian moon may host layers of icy slush instead of a global ocean could change how planetary scientists think about other icy moons as well.

February 02, 2026 10:10 AM

News

Article

Crossword: February 2026

January 30, 2026 09:09 AM

News

Article

Q&A: Trity Pourbahrami helps scientists communicate their work

After a foray into international health and social welfare, she returned to the physical sciences. She is currently at the Moore Foundation.

January 29, 2026 01:35 PM

News

Article

The new math of network optimization, courtesy of string theory

Modeling the shapes of tree branches, neurons, and blood vessels is a thorny problem, but researchers have just discovered that much of the math has already been done.

January 29, 2026 12:52 PM

This Content Appeared In