A rare, extremely energetic cosmic ray recently crashed into Earth’s atmosphere and has left scientists scratching their heads. The cosmic ray, which was detected by the Telescope Array in Utah, was more than 10 million times more energetic than visible light and is believed to originate from outside our galaxy.
This cosmic ray is the most powerful particle ever spotted entering Earth’s atmosphere and is more than a hundred times more energetic than the highest energy particles ever created in particle accelerator experiments. While it’s impossible to know for sure where these particles come from, scientists believe they could be a sign of a new type of astrophysical object or even evidence of dark matter.
Given the high energy of the cosmic ray, scientists are confident its source is outside our galaxy. But they are still in the dark as to how this particle was able to reach such high energies. The current leading explanation is that it was accelerated by a supermassive black hole in a distant galaxy.
The discovery of this cosmic ray offers a unique opportunity for scientists to study extreme particle acceleration and even a glimpse into the mysterious nature of dark matter. However, more research is needed to understand the true origin of this particle, with scientists hoping that more of these powerful cosmic rays will be detected in the future.
This remarkable discovery has certainly put a spotlight on the mysteries of the universe and has us asking more questions than ever before.