atmospheric neutrinos

Atmospheric neutrinos are tiny, nearly massless particles produced when cosmic rays—high-energy particles from space—collide with atoms in Earth's atmosphere. These interactions create a shower of secondary particles, including neutrinos. Because neutrinos rarely interact with matter, they pass through Earth and everything on it virtually undisturbed. Studying atmospheric neutrinos helps scientists understand fundamental particle properties, like their tiny masses and ability to change types, known as oscillations, which provide insights into the deeper laws of physics.