China-Led Team Detects Highest-Energy Light Particle Ever Recorded
The discovery shows the universe can accelerate matter far beyond previously predicted limits.
نظرة سريعة
A China-led team detected the highest-energy light particle ever recorded from the Cygnus X-3 binary system, showing the universe can accelerate matter 30 times past the previous limit.
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Previous theories held that particles could be accelerated to no more than about 1 peta-electron volt in the Milky Way.
A China-led team has detected the highest-energy light particle ever recorded, showing that the universe can accelerate matter to 30 times the previously predicted limit.
The particle was born in a violent binary system – known as Cygnus X-3 – in the constellation Cygnus.
That process involves a dead star stripping material from a massive companion and shooting powerful jets into space.
The LHAASO team reported their discovery this month in the journal National Science Review.
Cao Zhen, LHAASO’s principal investigator at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said previous theories held that particles could be accelerated to no more than about 1 peta-electron volt (PeV), or 1 quadrillion electron volts, in star explosions or swirling black holes in the Milky Way.
أسئلة مفتوحة
- What exact mechanism allowed the particle to exceed previous energy limits?
- Will further observations of Cygnus X-3 yield similar particle detections?
