Scientists have detected the highest-energy "ghost particle" ever seen, a type of neutrino, using a deep-sea neutrino telescope in the Mediterranean Sea. This neutrino is around 30 times more energetic than the previous record holder.
Scientists believe it came from outside the Milky Way galaxy, but its exact source remains a mystery. Neutrinos are subatomic particles that are very difficult to detect because they have almost no mass and do not interact with matter very often. They are often called "ghost particles" because they can pass through almost anything without being stopped.
This new discovery is significant because it suggests that there may be more high-energy neutrinos in the universe than previously thought. This could help scientists learn more about the most energetic events in the universe, such as supernovae and black holes.
The researchers are still working to determine the exact source of the neutrino. They are looking at a number of possibilities, including blazars, which are active galactic nuclei that emit powerful jets of energy.
"This is part of trying to understand the highest-energy processes in the universe," said study co-author Aart Heijboer from the National Institute for Subatomic Physics Nikhef in the Netherlands.
The discovery of this high-energy neutrino is a reminder that there is still much that we do not know about the universe. But it is also a sign that we are making progress in our understanding of the cosmos.