Neutrinos - small particles, big questions
02/17/2026Neutrinos are among the most fascinating particles in our universe. They play a key role in modern physics. On Wednesday, 25 February 2026, they will be the topic of the Schelling Forum.
The almost massless elementary particles hardly interact with matter and yet they are everywhere. In cosmology, neutrinos influence the development of large-scale structures, while in particle physics they are regarded as possible clues to previously unknown physical processes due to their tiny mass. Despite decades of research, fundamental questions remain unanswered:
What are neutrinos and what are their properties? How heavy are neutrinos? Are they their own antiparticles? And what do they tell us about the universe?
Dr Christoph Wiesinger explores these questions in his introductory lecture and takes the audience to experiments that measure radioactive decay with the utmost precision. Afterwards, he will enter into dialogue with the Würzburg astrophysicist Professor Karl Mannheim - and the audience will be very welcome to join in.
Time & place
When: Wednesday, 25 February 2026, 6:00 pm
Where: Schelling-Forum, Klinikstraße 3, 97070 Würzburg
Lecture
Dr Christoph Wiesinger is an astroparticle physicist at the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg and an alumnus of the Young Academy of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences. His research focusses on neutrino properties and the search for dark matter.
Moderation
Karl Mannheim is Professor of Astronomy at the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (JMU). He specialises in high-energy astrophysics and astroparticle physics and uses huge telescopes to research astronomical phenomena.
Registration
Participation is free of charge and can be made via the booking portal. If you have any questions, please contact schelling-forum@badw.de.
