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Old 23-09-2011, 08:23 AM
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CraigS
Unpredictable

CraigS is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Australia
Posts: 3,023
There is a huge amount of precision imposed on all the instrumentation needed to make this measurement accurate.

Seeing as neutrinos don't interact with normal matter, knowing when they are emitted and being able to eliminate any latency effects in the detectors at the receiving end, is critical. One needs a very, very accurate clock to measure the time time taken. The precision of the distance measurement is also critical, especially over a tiny distance like 730 kms !

They are also up against astronomical neutrino measurements to date from Supernovae. Mind you, the distances the little beasties have to have traveled in space, might allow for a good chance that they could change flavours in transit .. thereby rendering these measurements a little suspect, as well.

I don't think the results (and the paper .. if there is one, yet) have been peer-reviewed (??). They seem to be requesting this, at this stage.

My take on this, is that this is more than likely another media hype-up which taps into the middle of the normal science review process, in order to get 'the scoop'.

I look forward to some real science scrutiny on the results.

Cheers
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