Amaterasu Particle That Broke Physics Has Finally Been Explained

A mysterious, extremely energetic particle, known as the Amaterasu particle, was detected coming from a distant region of space, and scientists have proposed explanations for its origin, potentially tracing it back to a starburst galaxy like Messier 82

Questions to inspire discussion

Understanding Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays

🔬 Q: What makes the Amaterasu particle exceptionally powerful?
A: The Amaterasu particle detected in Utah in 2021 carries energy 40 million times higher than anything produced on Earth, equivalent to a baseball traveling at 100 km/h compressed into a single subatomic particle, making it one of the most energetic particles ever detected.

Solving the Origin Mystery

🎯 Q: Where did scientists determine the Amaterasu particle actually originated?
A: A 2026 study by Max Planck Institute scientists using approximate Bayesian computation and 3D magnetic field simulations traced the particle's origin to a starburst galaxy like Messier 82, located 12 million light-years away, rather than the initially suspected local void with only six known galaxies.

🧲 Q: Why did the particle appear to come from an empty region of space?
A: Magnetic fields in galaxies deflected the Amaterasu particle's trajectory during its journey, causing it to appear as if it originated from the local void when it actually traveled from a distant starburst galaxy, similar to how cosmic rays are routinely deflected while passing through the Milky Way.

Scientific Implications

⚡ Q: What extreme cosmic events could produce such energetic particles?
A: The Amaterasu particle likely originated from the universe's most violent events, including tidal disruption events where black holes tear apart stars or powerful supernovae explosions, helping scientists understand the limits of nature's energy production capabilities.

🔭 Q: What future research opportunities does this detection enable?
A: The Amaterasu particle detection represents a milestone for studying ultra-high energy cosmic rays, potentially revealing new physics beyond the current standard model and improving understanding of extreme cosmic phenomena through advanced particle tracking methods.

Research Methodology

📊 Q: How did scientists reconstruct the particle's actual path through space?
A: Researchers employed 3D magnetic field simulations combined with approximate Bayesian computation to model how galactic magnetic fields deflected the particle's trajectory, allowing them to trace backward from the detection point to identify the true source galaxy rather than the apparent void origin.

Key Insights

Origin and Detection Mystery

1. 🔭 The Amaterasu particle, detected on May 27, 2021 by 23 detectors of the Telescope Array Project in Utah (500 detectors across 700 km), carries 244 EeV energy—equivalent to a baseball at 100 km/h and 40 million times higher than Earth's particle accelerators can produce.
2. 🌌 The particle appeared to originate from the local void, a region with very few galaxies and no massive black holes, creating a fundamental mystery since no known sources in that direction could produce such extreme energy.

Breakthrough Research Methodology

1. 🧮 Max Planck Institute scientists in 2026 used approximate Bayesian computation combined with 3D magnetic field simulations to trace the particle's actual path, accounting for deflection by galactic magnetic fields rather than assuming straight-line travel.
2. 🎯 The simulations identified starburst galaxies—specifically Messier 82 (12 million light-years away), NGC 6946, and NGC 2403—as likely sources, where intense supernovae activity and cosmic ray production could generate such ultra-high energy particles.

Scientific Implications

1. ⚡ The research demonstrates that galactic magnetic fields significantly deflect ultra-high energy cosmic rays, meaning apparent origin directions can be misleading and particles may travel curved paths across millions of light-years.
2. 🔬 The exact acceleration mechanism in starburst galaxies that produces 244 EeV particles remains unknown, representing a frontier challenge in understanding the physical limits of particle acceleration in nature.

#Physics #PhysicalWorld

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WatchUrl: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxP6if7G7AM

Clips

• 00:00 ⚡ A mysterious, extremely energetic particle, known as the Amaterasu particle, was detected in Utah, challenging our understanding of the universe and potentially explaining the origin of similarly high-energy particles.
• 01:22 ⚡ A mysterious, ultra-high-energy particle, traveling at nearly the speed of light, was detected coming from a galactic void, sparking scientific interest.
• 02:26 ⚡ A mysterious, extremely powerful particle was detected coming from a region of space with hardly any galaxies, challenging scientists to explain its origin without violating modern physics.
  • A mysterious, extremely powerful particle was detected coming from the "local void", a region of space with hardly any galaxies, and scientists are trying to explain its origin without violating modern physics.
  • A mysterious particle was detected with an extremely high energy of 244 extra electron volts, an almost impossible occurrence in recorded science with no known mechanism for its formation.
• 04:07 ⚡ Astronomers puzzled by mysterious particle from local void now think it's a heavy nucleus like iron.
  • Astronomers have been puzzled by a mysterious particle seemingly originating from the local void, a vast empty region near the Milky Way with very low matter density, and researchers are now focusing on the particle itself to understand its unexplained origin.
  • A particle traveling through a void in a curved path, possibly due to magnetic fields, is more likely to be a complex, heavier nucleus like iron than a simple proton.
• 05:49 🌠 Scientists explain mysterious particle's origin, tracing it to a starburst galaxy, likely produced by supernovae and powerful magnetic fields.
  • If the particle, called Materasa, was made of iron, its source could have been much farther away with a more curved path due to magnetic fields in galaxies.
  • Scientists used 3D simulations and statistical methods to show that a mysterious particle likely originated from a starburst galaxy, not the local void, and was possibly produced by supernovae and powerful magnetic fields.
• 07:29 🌌 Researchers trace mysterious ultra-high energy cosmic rays to powerful galaxies, debunking theory of origin from void.
  • A study suggests that a mysterious particle could have originated from an iron nucleus deflected by magnetic fields, rather than from a void, with potential sources including galaxies Messier 82, NGC6946, and NGC 2403.
  • Researchers have made a breakthrough in understanding ultra-high energy cosmic rays, believed to be messengers of violent events in the universe, by tracing their possible origin to powerful galaxies.
• 09:18 ⚡ Scientists may have finally explained the mysterious Amaterasu particle, tracing it back to Messier 82, with upcoming telescopes and space projects poised to reveal more secrets.
  • Detecting powerful particles from various locations in the universe is challenging due to their rarity, but upcoming telescope upgrades and projects, such as a space-based satellite, may provide more answers by directly detecting these objects from space.
  • The Amaterasu particle, which initially seemed to defy physics by appearing from nowhere, may have originated from Messier 82, with its path influenced by magnetic fields.

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Duration: 0:12:53

Publication Date: 2026-02-15T19:01:24Z

WatchUrl: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxP6if7G7AM

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