Neutrinos Have No Charge

What a treat! A week or so ago I received an email from Marion, a woman who more than 15 years ago had purchased one of my jackets at a craft show in Los Angeles. She sent along pictures. It was my jacket I had called ‘Neutrino.’ It was covered with hand appliqued spirals.

She and her husband were going to be in town and asked if it was ok to stop by for a visit. Yes!

I remembered her! Some encounters are memorable. I had not forgotten this one. The jacket had been inspired by a photo of subatomic particles. She appreciated the design because her husband was a physicist and she could wear the jacket at his conferences. It could not be more perfect!

The photo was from a 1985 National Geographic magazine. To this day, it is on my wall. A bit tattered, this image still resonates with me.

The copy under the photo reads, “Particle-track pyrotechnics from a bubble-chamber detector flash on a screen at CERN. Debris from subatomic collisions leave distinctive wakes. For instance electrons and positrons spiral tightly in opposite directions. Computers now sort through such jungles of tracks to pinpoint results significant to experimenters.”

Because I had folded the copy under the picture, I had mistakenly remembered that the image showed neutrinos. Not neutrinos, Marion’s physicist husband gently informed me during our visit, neutrinos are neutral, they could not leave tracks because they have no charge. The copy under the picture confirmed, these were positrons and electrons.

Thank you Marion for stopping by. I love that you continue to wear the jacket! And a special thank you to John who carefully and expertly explained what a neutrino is. It is so very much appreciated! Thank You!