Abstract

The simultaneous double beta-decay of a nucleus may occasionally be accompanied by a curious absence of neutrinos, rather than the two expected in the Standard Model. This strange process, although incredibly rare, may offer a unique window on some fundamental questions in neutrino physics. The talk will review the physics of neutrinoless double-beta decay and discuss some of the techniques, at the intersection of nuclear and particle physics, that have been proposed to discover it. The status and prospects of worldwide searches for neutrinoless double-beta decay will be reviewed, with special emphasis on the SuperNEMO experiment in which the UK plays a leading role.