News in Brief Space

Supernovas are cosmic ray factories

Evidence emerges that intense stellar explosions send high-energy protons hurtling through the galaxy

By Andrew Grant

- More than 2 years ago

Remnants of two supernovas have provided the best proof yet that supernova shock waves churn out the high-energy protons that whizz through the galaxy.

The supernova remnant known as W44 (shown in purple, combining infrared and X-ray observations) helped researchers find evidence that supernovas produce cosmic rays.