Coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering

Coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering is a rare interaction where a neutrino bounces off an entire atomic nucleus as a single unit, rather than colliding with individual particles inside it. This subtle phenomenon was theoretically predicted decades ago but only recently confirmed experimentally because the tiny recoil energy of the nucleus makes it extremely difficult to detect. Scientists study this process because it provides a new way to observe neutrinos from the sun and other sources, and it helps test our fundamental understanding of how particles interact.