 Black hole: A source of 'cosmic bullets'? |
Black holes are the most likely source of the mysterious ultra high-energy cosmic rays that bombard the planet, scientists have discovered. Observations at the world's largest cosmic ray detector suggest the particles are emitted by huge black holes in the middle of nearby galaxies. The findings, unveiled in Science, may solve a long-running puzzle. The origins of the highest energy forms of cosmic rays have been a mystery since their discovery in 1912. The observations were made by more than 370 scientists from 17 countries working at the Pierre Auger Observatory in Argentina.  |  We have taken a big step towards solving a century-old mystery  | Professor Alan Watson of the University of Leeds, who led the study, said it opened a new window to the nearby Universe. "As we finish the construction of our observatory and collect more and more data, we may look at individual galaxies in a detailed and completely new way," he said. "Our observatory is producing a new image of the Universe based on cosmic rays instead of light." Source : BBC Science
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