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Neither Reines nor Cowan regards this small difference as conclusive. But they have gained experience, much of it of practical value to the bomb makers at Los Alamos. A second series of experiments will be starting soon. "Then," say Reines and Cowan, "we should be able to say definitely either that the neutrino exists or that it does not exist."
New Revolution? On the answer to this question hang enormous issues. Physicists are already comparing the neutrino hunt with the igth century hunt for the "celestial ether," which was then considered necessary to carry waves of light through the vacuum of space. When the Michelson-Morley experiment (reported in 1887) proved that the ether does not exist, physics was thrown into confusion and had to be rescued painfully by Einstein's relativity.
If the neutrino is abolished, physics may be threatened by a more sweeping revolution. Physicists would balk at admitting that matter or energy just disappears. They would try to explain where matter or energy goes to, and the search might reveal a new world of physics.
If Reines and Cowan succeed in detecting neutrinos, their study may show a "fine structure" in matter that is not suspected now. It may solve mysteries about the whole universe. Most of the neutrinos that were in existence at the birth of the universe (if the universe had a birth date and if neutrinos exist) are probably still cruising round and round, passing with ease through stars and galaxies. They may form a large part of the universe.