Abstract: Whilst the Standard Model of Particle Physics has been spectacularly successful, it leaves some of the most profound questions unanswered. Why does the Universe contain more matter than antimatter? What is the nature of dark matter? How do the forces of nature unify?
Neutrinos offer a uniquely powerful probe of new physics. Their ability to oscillate between flavours is already clear evidence of physics beyond the Standard Model. But the mechanism behind the neutrino’s tiny mass remains unknown, making the neutrino sector one of the most promising frontiers for discovery.
I will explore how we use neutrinos as probes of the unknown, with a particular focus on the search for sterile neutrinos: hypothetical new states that do not interact via the Standard Model forces. I will highlight how advances in detector technology, especially liquid-argon time projection chambers, have transformed our ability to image neutrino interactions with unprecedented precision.
Drawing on results from the MicroBooNE experiment, the first large-scale liquid-argon detector in the United States, I will show how we are resolving long-standing anomalies and opening new windows into hidden sectors. I will then look ahead to the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), a next-generation facility spanning 1,300 km from Fermilab to South Dakota, which will be the world’s most comprehensive facility for understanding neutrinos and using them to reveal the physics shaping our Universe.