A tiny graphene device could detect neutrinos from the big bang

Neutrinos from the early universe have never been detected directly but a device that uses the atom-thick material graphene might be able to change that

By Karmela Padavic-Callaghan

A particle detector made from extremely thin sheets of carbon may be able to spot never-before-seen neutrinos from the time of the big bang. If the design works, detecting these so-called ultra-low energy neutrinos could help us better understand the first moments of the universe.

Detecting any neutrinos is challenging because they normally move through matter without affecting it – trillions of them are passing through you right now. They are some of the most abundant particles, but they are nearly massless …