Neutrinos and the Universe’s Hidden Particles

Neutrinos are ghostlike particles that barely interact with matter, yet they flood the universe in unimaginable numbers. By oscillating between different “flavors” and carrying traces from the Big Bang and stellar cores, they challenge the limits of physics and cosmology. Though elusive, they may hold the key to dark matter, antimatter, and the universe’s deepest secrets. When we think of the universe, we often picture stars blazing, galaxies colliding, and planets spinning in their graceful orbits. Yet, much of what makes up the cosmos is invisible, elusive, and difficult to detect. Among the strangest and most mysterious entities are neutrinos—tiny, nearly massless particles that pass through everything, including you, by the trillions every second without leaving a trace. They are sometimes called “ghost particles,” and for good reason: they rarely interact with matter, making them both frustrating and fascinating to study.