Little Neutrino

I'd been thinking about neutrinos quite a bit for several weeks. I'm not sure why. They just popped into my head and ordered room service.

And then I saw a copy of Isaac Asimov's The Neutrino at Half-Price Books. (Isn't this supposed to work in the opposite way--I see that book and then start thinking about neutrinos?) In part because I have a current small obsession with Isaac Asimov, I really wanted to buy that book. (And in part, of course, because What The Fuck? I have been thinking about neutrinos for the past couple of weeks!) But I resisted the temptation because (1) I have too many books already, (2) I am currently reading about a dozen books, and (3) it cost $8.00, which, in my dotage, seems pricey for a paperback.

But seeing the book accelerated my obsession with neutrinos. 

So I looked to see what the Louisville Free Public Library had on hand. Not much, it turns out.

And none of them written by Isaac Asimov. But there was a DVD, so I went for that. Started watching it...and it was interesting, for sure. Not to mention that it's a film by Werner Herzog. But it was mostly about Antarctica. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but the neutrino wasn't a very big part of the movie. 

Here's what there was:

At 1:31 (of 1:40) there was a bit on a neutrino detection project in Antarctica which involved launching a balloon into the atmosphere to detect neutrino action. One of the scientists being interviewed noted that the neutrino is "The most ridiculous particle you can imagine." He basically said that they have no effect upon the physical universe, and that "They seem to just exist in another place." He also noted, however, that our universe could not have come into existence without neutrinos. And then he got metaphysical (like Olivia Newton-John), saying that he thought of  neutrinos as "surrounding me like a spirit or God" and referred to attempting to document them was like "measuring the spirit world." By 1:36, that segment was over. So definitely worth doing, but it left me wanting a whole lot more.

I kept thinking about that Asimov book, though. And I went back yesterday with Jacqueline and Joe, and not only was it still there, but it had been marked down to $4.00...and there was a 20% off sale going on. But Jacqueline and Joe were both having off days and I didn't feel like getting into the longer than usual line, so I left the store without it again. Then I dropped the little Js off at their mom's house and called my #1son to chat as I started heading home. And then I thought, "Shit, I'm going to go back and get that book." I was thinking that it was likely that someone else would have picked it up already, as often happens when I hesitate over these things, bu I drove to Half-Price and there it was, waiting for me. 

I took it home and set it onto the pile of Things That I Want to Read Before the Ever-Hastening Day of My Death.

And I proceeded to fart around. By 10:00 pm I was thinking that I should head for bed, but I was not tired, so I flipped through every channel that AT&T TV provides to me. Nothing looked interesting, so I did it again. Still nothing. So I started on another round, and this time I noticed that there was a The Big Bang Theory show on, and that usually brings me some solace, so I turned it on.

It was Season 2, episode 4: "The Griffin Equivalency." Within seconds of my turning on the show, Sheldon was talking about neutrinos. 

Well. Needless to say I only watched for a dumbfounded minute before I got into bed. With the Asimov book.

Haven't found out what The Universe is telling me yet, but I'll let you know when I do.

P.S. Of course I listened to Klaatu's "Little Neutrino" first thing this morning.