  We have performed a likelihood analysis of the recent data on the Cosmic
Microwave Background Radiation (CMBR) anisotropy taken by the Boomerang
experiment. We find that this data places a strong upper bound on the radiation
density present at recombination. Expressed in terms of the equivalent number
of neutrino species the $2\sigma$ bound is N_nu < 13, and the standard model
prediction, N_nu = 3.04, is completely consistent the the data. This bound is
complementary to the one found from Big Bang nucleosynthesis considerations in
that it applies to any type of radiation, i.e. it is not flavour sensitive. It
also applies to the universe at a much later epoch, and as such places severe
limits on scenarios with decaying neutrinos. The bound also yields a firm upper
limit on the lepton asymmetry in the universe.
