Astronomers Close in on the Source of the Highest Energy Particles

Astronomers close in on the source of the highest energy particles

Here on Earth, if you want to observe particles at the highest possible energies, you have two potential approaches you can choose from. You can isolate charged particles in a laboratory and accelerate them with a combination of electric and magnetic fields, either linearly or in a circular path, to higher and higher energies before either releasing them in a particular direction or smashing them into other particles. These particle physics expe…

MSU Astrophysicists Edge Closer to Unraveling the Origins of Cosmic Rays

In the quest to unravel one of astrophysics’ most enduring mysteries—the origin of galactic cosmic rays—recent pioneering research from Michigan State University has emerged as a beacon of clarity. Nearly a century after cosmic rays were first discovered in 1912, their precise sources within our galaxy have eluded scientists. These high-energy particles, traveling at speeds approaching that of light, bombard Earth incessantly, yet their birthpla…