Certainty and Uncertainty in the Practice of Science: Electrons, Muons, and Taus

TL;DR

This paper explores the history of discovering electrons, muons, and taus to illustrate how certainty and uncertainty shape scientific practice, also explaining basic particle physics concepts for non-experts.

Contribution

It provides a historical perspective on particle discoveries to discuss the role of certainty and uncertainty in scientific research, highlighting the practice's complexities.

Findings

Historical examples illustrate scientific certainty and uncertainty.

Discussion of scientific methodology in particle physics.

Educational insights into elementary particles for non-experts.

Abstract

During the past one hundred years three related elementary particles - the electron, the muon, and the tau - were discovered by very different scientific techniques. The author, who received the Wolf Prize and the Nobel Prize for the discovery of the tau, uses this history to discuss certainty and uncertainty in the practice of science. While the emphasis is on the practice of scientific research, the paper also explains for the non-physicist some basic ideas in elementary particle science.