Tunneling Underground to Learn About the Sky Above

Posted by Emma Lehmberg on Tuesday, October 27, 2009

What's smaller than an atom, can move at the speed of light, and blasts through solid objects?

If you’re thinking of a cartoon superhero, guess again. In fact, the answer comes in the form of a miniscule particle, the neutrino (meaning “small neutral one” in Italian).

Produced by the radioactive decay of elements, a neutrino barely interacts with physical forces (such as magnets) and can pass through solid objects. This unique ability allows it to be mined for information on the build-up of supernovas and other astronomic events.

That's why a huge telescope, called IceCube, is under construction in Antarctica. But, unlike traditional telescopes that point to the sky, this one points straight down into the ice. That's because neutrinos are extremely hard to detect, and only register with sensors each time they collide with an atom. Since ice is atomically dense, the south pole is an ideal place for this upside down telescope.

The irony of looking down to discover what is up is not lost on us, by the way.

Video: Click to see how this unique telescope works.

Or to learn more.