【Nobel Week, Day 5】 A Day at the Royal Swedish Academy

Date of activity: December 7, 2015

Professor Kajita headed to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences early this morning. The sun does not start coming up in Stockholm until after 8 AM, so it was completely dark outside when the professor left the Grand Hôtel.

At Beijer Hall in the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, a press conference was held for the Nobel Laureates in Chemistry, Economic Sciences and Physics, including Professor Kajita and Nobel Prize in Physics co-winner Queen's University Professor Emeritus Arthur B. McDonald.

When asked at the press conference about future developments in physics, Professor Kajita said that "What we have discovered is simply that neutrinos have mass. In fact this neutrino mass is too tiny to be explained within the framework of the standard model of particle physics. Therefore, we need a deeper understanding of particle physics." Professor McDonald added that because the physical properties of neutrinos have not yet been completely understood, what will become important from now on are measurements like neutrinoless double beta decay and research in physics using accelerator experiments, which are being conducted at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory. Also, Professor Kajita encouraged younger researchers by saying that they may also be honored with a Nobel Prize if they put a lot of effort into their research.

In the evening, Professor Kajita and his wife attended a dinner party held by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, where breakfast had also been held that morning.

Also, Professor Kajita's guests, including the University of Tokyo's President Gonokami, arrived at Stockholm one after another today to attend the Nobel Award Ceremony later this week.

<Related Links>
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Nobel Posters

*【Nobel Week】 is a special series of reports given during the Nobel Week.
*You can read articles about the other Nobel Week activites here: http://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/general/nobel_index.html