Augustine Pamplany CST

Clyde Cowan (1919-1974) along with Frederick Reines discovered neutrinos in 1956. Reines was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics in 1995. As Nobel prize could not be awarded posthumously, Reines received the Nobel Prize in both their names. During the award ceremony, Reines said, “I must mention my very good friend and colleague Clyde Cowan, who was an equal partner in the experiments to discover the neutrino. I regret that he did not live long enough to share in this honour with me.”
Neutrinos are chargeless fundamental particles related to the electron. Wolfgang Pauli had predicted their existence in 1930. It was thought for long that these particles may never be discovered as they interact only through weak force, and not through strong-nuclear or electro-magnetic force. However, in 1951, Cowan and Reines devised an experimental way to detect them. Their experiments with intense flux of neutrinos in a nuclear reactor finally paid off. It was a landmark discovery as it led to several other major developments in physics. The “unobservable” neutrinos then became the important tool for experiments in particle physics. Neutrinos are produced abundantly in in the Sun and detected in cosmic radiations.
Clyde Cowan was a very devout and practising Catholic. More than his pronouncements on faith, his personal life was a great testimony to his faith. He confronted several tragedies like the death of his seven out of ten children and the death of two adopted children. He had the Rh positive and negative factor in his blood resulting in the death of his children. But he drew strength and consolation from his faith. His wife was not a Catholic when they got married. However, under the influence of Clyde and his life, she became a Catholic in 1953.
Of his personal life and faith, his wife stated in an interview: “He was a practising Catholic when we got married. Despite the death of the children, we loved children and we kept going. Death of the children were very hard for him… His faith was so strong because during his lifetime he had to fight for his faith. Clive had strong faith and his faith kept us going and we ended up with three healthy children. He was not trained in any catholic school. He was surrounded by non-Catholics. Probably that made him go to teach in a Catholic University.” Cowan had also taken active participation in the works of Catholic organisations like the Knights of Columbus.