The Quanta Podcast What Could Explain the Gallium Anomaly?
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Nov 26, 2024 Dive into the intriguing gallium anomaly that has physicists scratching their heads. This mysterious finding from a Soviet experiment may hint at the existence of a new fundamental particle. Discover how researchers have dismissed mundane explanations and what this could mean for sterile neutrinos and dark matter. The historical backdrop of the SAGE experiment adds depth to the ongoing exploration of particle physics.
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SAGE: A Cold War Collaboration
- The SAGE experiment, a Soviet-American collaboration during the Cold War, studied neutrinos.
- Despite political tensions, the collaboration thrived, showcasing the unifying power of science.
Germanium Half-Life Ruled Out
- One proposed explanation for the gallium anomaly was an incorrect half-life of germanium-71.
- Recent research has ruled this out, deepening the mystery.
The Gallium Anomaly and Sterile Neutrinos
- The gallium anomaly, a persistent deficit in expected particles, lacks a clear explanation.
- This suggests a potential monumental discovery like a new elementary particle, possibly a sterile neutrino.