How many mysteries the universe is showing us little by little, as if it were a drip. Such a gigantic place, and so old, and we still don’t fully understand it.
One of these mysteries is that an unknown energy is reaching Earth from somewhere in space, but from where? This energy comes from the so-called high-energy cosmic rays, tiny particles that travel at incredible speeds and collide with our planet all the time.
But what is this?
A team of researchers from China belonging to the Institute of High Energy Physics, has now discovered what could be a “cosmic ray super accelerator”, and they have done so thanks to the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO), basically that there is a region in the universe that could be accelerating particles naturally, as if it were an energy launcher in space.
Where does this come from?
Cosmic rays are nothing more than small charged particles (like protons) that move through space at high speed. Scientists believe that a large part of them could be coming from Cygnus OB2, an area of our galaxy located in the constellation of Cygnus.
What is so special about Cygnus?
Cygnus OB2 is a type of “nursery” where stars are born that emit a brutal amount of energy in the form of stellar winds and radiation. Based on this, scientists have detected that in that region there is an “energy bubble” where the particles reach levels never seen before. Some photons (particles of light) that have reached us from there have shown energy levels never seen before, which confirms that there is an ultra-powerful acceleration process working in that area of space.
And what role does LHAASO play?
As you have seen, LHAASO is the observatory that is helping us understand the universe (little by little, yes, but it is an incredible step for astrophysics). This observatory is located high in the mountains of China in the province of Sichuan, at an altitude of about 4,420 meters above sea level. Its function is to detect cosmic rays and gamma rays (another form of energy that travels through space). Since it was launched in 2023, it has allowed scientists to observe bursts of energy in the cosmos and trace their possible origins.
Its total area is 1.36 square kilometers and it has become an essential tool for carrying out this type of study that has left the entire international community speechless.
But does this affect the Earth?
The truth is that it is not yet known whether or not these rays can have an impact on our climates, on species or on ourselves. Some theories suggest that they could change the climate or influence the behaviour of certain animals, but this is still under investigation. What we do know is that if we can better understand where they come from and how they are generated, we could learn much more about the universe and its influence on Earth. On the other hand, we have a large atmosphere that protects us from any rays that reach the Earth, so it is our job to take care of it and defend it as if our lives depended on it, because literally, our lives depend on it.
This discovery, along with others that have been taking place in recent years, are bringing us a little closer to knowing more about our universe and its formation. Isn’t it amazing how many secrets it still hides from us? How small we are when we look up!!