 Light-neutrino counting from the Z width

Each effectively massless active neutrino species contributes the same invisible Z boson partial decay width. Subtracting calculated or measured visible widths from the total width therefore measures the displayed number, assuming no additional invisible channels. The inference concerns particles lighter than $M_Z/2$ with ordinary weak couplings. It does not exclude heavier neutrinos or right-handed neutrinos that are gauge singlets. Early LEP resonance measurements were consistent with three light active species, with statistical uncertainty. See the OPAL report on its 1989 data for the original resonance-width comparison.