Pontecorvo–Maki–Nakagawa–Sakata matrix

The Pontecorvo–Maki–Nakagawa–Sakata (PMNS) matrix describes how neutrinos, which are tiny, nearly weightless particles, change from one type (or flavor) to another as they travel. Think of neutrinos like chameleons that can switch colors. The matrix provides the mathematical way to understand the probabilities of these transformations, linking the neutrinos’ initial states to their observed states. This behavior is key to understanding neutrino physics, including the fact that neutrinos have mass and can oscillate between types, which has implications for understanding the universe’s makeup.