Cosmic rays

New Theory Could Dramatically Expand the Search for Aliens

Cosmic rays traveling through space may provide enough energy to sustain life even in incredibly cold and dark environments, a new study suggests.

Space & Spaceflight Gayoung Lee Aug 4

A visualization of a simulated event in the KM3NeT/ORCA detector.

Physicists Detect Most Energetic ‘Ghost Particle’ Ever—30,000 Times More Powerful Than LHC Particles

The staggeringly energetic neutrino likely came from beyond our galaxy, and physicists have two main suspects.

Physics & Chemistry Isaac Schultz Feb 12

An artist's concept of the ALICE experiment and the Milky Way.

Antimatter Could Be the Key to Solving the Universe’s Biggest Mysteries

Two new studies highlight the enigmatic nature of antimatter, revealing its potential role in both understanding the universe's origins and unlocking the secrets of particle physics.

Physics & Chemistry Isaac Schultz Oct 5

Illustration: Telescope Array Collaboration

Utah Telescopes Intercept Ultra-Powerful Cosmic Ray

Astronomers are trying to figure out what could have emitted a cosmic ray with such extraordinary energy.

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky Nov 23

Space Kombucha Could Help Sustain Future Colonies on Mars

Tests suggest the fermented drink can survive the harsh conditions of space, with the bacteria able to repair itself from damage caused by cosmic radiation.

Space & Spaceflight Passant Rabie Sep 13

NASA Is Sending Artificial Female Bodies to the Moon to Study Radiation Risks

The two torsos, named "Helga" and "Zohar," will journey to the Moon ahead of the crewed Artemis missions.

Space & Spaceflight Passant Rabie May 2

Missions to Mars Shouldn’t Exceed Four Years Due to Radiation Risks, Scientists Say

Astronauts will experience enormous exposure to particle radiation during Mars missions, but the dangers can be mitigated.

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky Sep 1

Image: Teruhiko Wakayama, University of Yamanashi

Scientists Produce Healthy Mice From Sperm Kept in Space for Nearly 6 Years

The experiment suggests it would be possible for humans to reproduce during long-duration space missions.

Health George Dvorsky Jun 11

Interstellar Stardust Found Inside Australian Meteorite Is a Staggering 7 Billion Years Old

A meteorite that crashed into Australia back in 1969 contains stardust dating back some 7 billion years, predating the formation of Earth by 2.5 billion years. The remarkable discovery offers a snapshot of the conditions that existed long before our solar system came into existence. Ancient grains found inside the Murchison meteorite have been dated…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky Jan 14

Cosmic Rays May Have Blasted Gigantic Sand Dunes Into Existence on Saturn’s Moon Titan

The equatorial dunes on Saturn’s moon Titan are among the most dramatic surface features in the Solar System, but scientists aren’t exactly sure how they formed. New experimental evidence suggests the dunes arose as a result of cosmic rays hitting Titan’s surface ice. Titan is one of the neatest places in the Solar System. It’s…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky Oct 18

Image: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA

Famous Nebula Produces Highest-Energy Light Ever Observed

A telescope in Tibet consisting of plastic detectors and underground water vat observed the highest-energy light yet—and it came from one of the most famous light sources in the sky. For the first time, a team of scientists from 28 institutions across China, Tibet, and Japan report having measured photons, particles of electromagnetic radiation, with…

Physics & Chemistry Ryan F. Mandelbaum Jul 9

Ice Cores Could Solve Thousand-Year-Old Cosmic Ray Mystery

New evidence confirms that an influx of cosmic rays struck the entire planet around 994 CE—and it might solve the mystery of the event’s origin. Ice cores and tree rings around the world show mysterious increases in the concentrations of certain elements around 994 CE. The newest evidence originates in Antarctic ice, validating the prior…

Physics & Chemistry Ryan F. Mandelbaum Dec 27

Policing Police Drones, Inheriting Facebook Messages, and Unexplained Sounds: Best Gizmodo Stories of the Week

We here at Gizmodo had a lot of questions this week, and we did our best to give you some answers because you’re probably wondering some of the same things. For instance, if you’ve ever asked yourself who is regulating police drones to keep them from being abused, the answer is, “Pretty much nobody is…

Tech News AJ Dellinger Jul 15

See the South Pole Message That Alerted Astronomers to the Cosmic-Ray-Spewing Blazar

Today, scientists made a huge announcement: Telescopes around the world recorded a source of mysterious, ultra-high-energy cosmic rays, the highest-energy particles that hit the Earth. It all started with a text message. The recent discovery has, at least partially, solved a hundred-year-mystery—the identity of a space object that could possibly send particles with energies a…

Space & Spaceflight Ryan F. Mandelbaum Jul 12

Cosmic Ray Mystery Finally Cracked Thanks to Supermassive Black Hole Beaming Energy Straight at Earth

Every so often, protons and even entire atomic nuclei strike the Earth with extremely high energies—much higher than what scientists can produce in their most powerful physics experiments. Since the discovery of “cosmic rays” a hundred years ago, no one knew for sure where the most energetic of these particles came from—until now. On Thursday,…

Space & Spaceflight Ryan F. Mandelbaum Jul 12

Mysterious New Results Can’t Explain Why So Much Antimatter Hits Earth

New observations of nearby pulsars—lighthouse-like neutron stars beaming energy—seem to have deepened a mystery that’s been bugging scientists for around a decade. The Earth is being hit with too much antimatter from outer space, and no one is sure why. Super high-energy radiation from outer space bombards this planet daily. These “cosmic rays” can have…

Tech News Ryan F. Mandelbaum Nov 16

Highest-Energy Cosmic Radiation Comes From a Mysterious Source Beyond Our Galaxy

Not to scare you, but you’re getting hit with radiation constantly. First, there’s just regular old light (yep, that’s a kind of radiation). Then there are low levels of higher energy radiation like the kind in nuclear reactors, including particles coming out of the soil and off of bananas. But the highest-energy radiation is the…

Space & Spaceflight Ryan F. Mandelbaum Sep 21

Pluto Isn’t the Only Thing New Horizons is Studying

New Horizons has been sending back some incredible information about Pluto, but the Dwarf planet isn’t the only thing it’s been studying. NASA recently noted that the spacecraft’s vantage point is ideal for studying Solar Wind, and it’s been doing just that. New Horizons is one of the furthest man-made objects in our solar system,…

Physics & Chemistry Andrew Liptak Apr 23

Cosmic Rays Could Help Unlock the Secrets of the Pyramids

There’s a long and colorful history of people trying to unlock the secret of how the Egyptian pyramids were built—and possibly find hidden rooms and corridors, for good measure. And now, a new international project aims to peer through the stone walls of these ancient structures, using cosmic rays. Actually, the ScanPyramids Project will use…

Tech News Jennifer Ouellette Oct 29

Astronauts May Be Seeing Cosmic Rays Shoot Through Their Eyeballs!

This is simultaneously cool and horrifying. Cosmic rays are actually particles—tiny protons and neutrons, that shoot through space. They’re too small to see, but astronauts may still be seeing them. One of the things they don’t tell you about being an astronaut is the fact that you will see little flashes of light. You will…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Jul 20

Cosmic rays

New Theory Could Dramatically Expand the Search for Aliens

Physicists Detect Most Energetic ‘Ghost Particle’ Ever—30,000 Times More Powerful Than LHC Particles

Antimatter Could Be the Key to Solving the Universe’s Biggest Mysteries

Utah Telescopes Intercept Ultra-Powerful Cosmic Ray

Space Kombucha Could Help Sustain Future Colonies on Mars

NASA Is Sending Artificial Female Bodies to the Moon to Study Radiation Risks

Missions to Mars Shouldn’t Exceed Four Years Due to Radiation Risks, Scientists Say

Scientists Produce Healthy Mice From Sperm Kept in Space for Nearly 6 Years

Interstellar Stardust Found Inside Australian Meteorite Is a Staggering 7 Billion Years Old

Cosmic Rays May Have Blasted Gigantic Sand Dunes Into Existence on Saturn’s Moon Titan

Famous Nebula Produces Highest-Energy Light Ever Observed

Ice Cores Could Solve Thousand-Year-Old Cosmic Ray Mystery

Policing Police Drones, Inheriting Facebook Messages, and Unexplained Sounds: Best Gizmodo Stories of the Week

See the South Pole Message That Alerted Astronomers to the Cosmic-Ray-Spewing Blazar

Cosmic Ray Mystery Finally Cracked Thanks to Supermassive Black Hole Beaming Energy Straight at Earth

Mysterious New Results Can’t Explain Why So Much Antimatter Hits Earth

Highest-Energy Cosmic Radiation Comes From a Mysterious Source Beyond Our Galaxy

Pluto Isn’t the Only Thing New Horizons is Studying

Cosmic Rays Could Help Unlock the Secrets of the Pyramids

Astronauts May Be Seeing Cosmic Rays Shoot Through Their Eyeballs!

All Hell Breaks Loose in a Tease of the End of ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Season 2

Artemis 2 Day 6: Follow the Mission With Our Live Updates 🔴

NASA Administrator Says Odds of Finding Alien Life Are ‘Pretty High’

The ‘Super Mario Galaxy’ Movie Did Rosalina Dirty

Wisconsin Remains a Gooning Sanctuary State After Governor Rejects Age Verification Bill

The Artemis 2 Astronauts Are Now Farther From Earth Than Any Have Gone Before

The Imperial Credits From the ‘Andor’ Aldhani Heist Are Up for Auction, Which We’re Sure Is Not a Commentary on Capitalism at All

Check Your Medicine Cabinet for These Eye Drop Bottles After Millions Recalled

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