16th August | James Riordon: “Ghost Particle – How Neutrinos Could Answer The Biggest Question in the Universe”

On Wednesday 16th August PubSci is excited to welcome the celebrated US science writer James Riordon to lead us through the search for the so-called Ghost Particle of physics: the elusive neutrino.

[Eventbrite registration required. Free to attend but donations are very welcome.]

Neutrinos are the second most abundant particles in the universe, and hundreds of trillions of them stream through your body every second, but you can’t feel them at all. Atomic nuclei produce neutrinos whenever they come together or break apart – even bananas emit them – yet these amazing particles have proved incredibly difficult to detect.

At August’s PubSci, James will take us on an extraordinary journey from the heart of the sun to the cold Antarctic ice, and into the universe beyond, as we explore everything from the Big Bang to dark matter, and ask whether neutrinos could even be the reason there is anything in the universe at all.

His newly published book will be available after the talk.

Join us upstairs at the Old King’s Head near London Bridge station. Doors open at 6.30pm for a 7pm start. The Old King’s Head has a happy hour before 7pm, and the kitchen serves excellent pub grub.

We anticipate a large turnout for this event and are using Eventbrite to manage numbers. Please reserve your spot ASAP to avoid disappointment.

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James Riordon has written for Science News, Scientific American, Quanta Magazine, New Scientist, Popular Science, The Washington Post, Physics Today, and Analytical Chemistry. In his spare time, James goes in search of abandoned and decrepit science laboratories (sometimes with his friend Michael Lucibella).

Some of those explorations contributed to research for the book Ghost Particle: In Search of the Elusive and Mysterious Neutrino (MIT Press/Random House, 2023), which he wrote with physicist Alan Chodos, and others will embellish his next book, Crush: A Quest to Uncover the Mysteries of Gravity, due out from MIT Press/Penguin Random House in 2024.

When he’s not skulking about in old labs, James lives in Clarksville, Maryland with his science writer spouse Martha Heil, two daughters, and numerous family dogs, cats, and snakes. 

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Support PubSci.

There is no charge for attending PubSci talks, but we have a whip-round to cover expenses. Because so few of us carry cash these days, you can contribute digitally too. Please help PubSci continue to put on events.

We aim to keep PubSci accessible for all, although it is unsuitable for under 18s as we meet in the function room of  a pub. Regrettably, there is no wheelchair access. 

Please check our Future Events page where you can also subscribe to our iCal feed. You can find all our links on our LinkTree.

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Address:

The Old King’s Head (upstairs room)
King’s Head Yard
45-49 Borough High Street
London SE1 1NA