Astronomers Detect Ghost Particles, Which May Be Key To Understanding Our Universe

The study of the galaxy may potentially take a new turn soon, with astronomers detecting ghost particles, which might reveal information about the galaxy and also solved a long-standing mystery. The particles, also called Neutrinos, are massless and have zero electric charge, and thus, they do not interact much with the surroundings. Although they are present everywhere, it is nearly impossible to detect them, with scientists having struggled to achieve this objective for a long time, potentially until now.

These particles assume huge importance, as their detection can help the scientists to identify where they come from. The discovery was done at South Pole’s IceCube Neutrino Observatory, through the use of 5000 plus sensors buried a mile deep below the ice sheet. The sensors detected the source of a single neutrino, while it was interacting with one atom, to another galaxy, described as a “faraway blazar,” and a mammoth elliptical galaxy having a rapid-spinning gigantic black hole located at the center. Neutrinos are significant as they can transmit information across space and time. They can travel through universe without any harm, and are regarded as “messengers” by scientists. If detected, neutrinos can reveal unknown and important information regarding the galaxy. The astronomers were also able to figure out the cosmic rays’ source through this discovery, something not observed since 1912.

Meanwhile, NASA has just captured the images of a different kind of spider on Mars, through the use of Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. These spiders, however, are geographical formations resulting from frozen carbon dioxide below the soil surface on Mars. They are called as “Araneiform terrain”, and is an active seasonal process formation. The image had been captured on May 18 during the South Pole winter on Mars. Such formations are helping scientists understand the mechanisms on the planet, as well as helping them to differentiate non-biological processes from biological ones.