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Cosmic Rays from Old Quasars?

Posted by michael on from the spf-500 dept.

frankske writes "The mystery of the galactic cosmic rays has been solved, according to NASA... From the article: "The American space agency (Nasa) scientists think these fragments of matter come from "retired" quasars, galaxies containing supermassive black holes that once shone with astonishing brilliance. ""

15 comments

  1. i knew it by tps12 · · Score: 0, Troll

    This was obvious from the beginning. Anyone with half a brain saw this coming years ago. Some "mystery." Question: When will Science learn that people won't accept the same worn-out plot devices year after year? This is why more and more people are turning to Indie or Foreign Science, where some originality can still be found.

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    1. Re:i knew it by tps12 · · Score: 2

      Although the oscillating neutrinos did catch me off guard.

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    2. Re:i knew it by Peter+Trepan · · Score: 1

      There's some pretty cool stuff going on in the Mad Science scene. Also, check out Old Science. Like some of Pythagoras' original theorems, before he sold out. Pseudo Science also has some good stuff. Cold Fusion is one of my favorites.

      If you don't like Big Science, try supporting your local scientists. Go to their shows, and buy a thesis.

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  2. And this is important, why? by stagmeister · · Score: 0, Troll

    OK, so this is cool, I admit. However, how does this help us except that we know a little bit more? How can we use this to our advantage to improve our lives, etc?

    I don't think that this is *that* important -- I mean, seriously, are we ever even going to get close to those black holes? No, not for the next 100 years, at the rate NASA is going with space missions. All people are sending out are PROBES, not PEOPLE.

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    1. Re:And this is important, why? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If we were coming close to a black hole in the foreseeable future, that wouldn't be our choice.

    2. Re:And this is important, why? by Paul+Neubauer · · Score: 4, Insightful

      However, how does this help us except that we know a little bit more? How can we use this to our advantage to improve our lives, etc?

      Right now, it doesn't help except we hopefully know a bit more. That's the thing with basic science, generally any one discovery doesn't in itself help anything or anyone. But such things come together with other basic and 'useless' things and produce something useful. And until then, nobody knows which bits are the important ones.

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    3. Re:And this is important, why? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think that your answer is too narrow. Why do these discoveries "have" to produce anything useful? I find basic science to be quite entertaining. Think of it as "art" which is much more refined, consistent, mind boggling, thought inducing, and uplifting than anything Hollywood produces. I'd trade a pokemon figure toy for a Hubble space image poster anytime.

    4. Re:And this is important, why? by panthro · · Score: 1

      Amen. If you can't appreciate the value of such a discovery in pure science, then there's no need to complain about it. I'm sure there's plenty of people like me out there who find discoveries like these, no matter how trivial they may seem, to be one more step towards answering the most fundamental questions about our universe. Far from irrelevant.

      To the person who started this thread, and others who would ask the same question, I think we should try to think of it from the point of view of those responsible for the discoveries before we comment on their validity or usefulness. I mean, someone worked on this for a long time, in addition to spending years learning the fundamentals of their particular field. They don't need people who are for the most part ignorant of the details and implications to tell them whether their discoveries are useful or not.

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  3. Fools by TheGreenLantern · · Score: 2, Troll

    Don't they know that the true power behind cosmic rays is The Power Cosmic, and hence Galactus, The Immortal Destroyer of Worlds? But in the end it doesn't really matter; I'm sure that if Galactus were here, he'd remind us that he is beyond the cares of fleeting mortals.

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  4. Alterslash ain't the only one "stealing" by aozilla · · Score: 1, Troll

    Michael says frankse says the BBC says NASA scientists think "these fragments of matter come from "retired" quasars, galaxies containing supermassive black holes that once shone with astonishing brilliance."

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    ok then your [sic] infringing on my copyright! Could you as [sic] me next time before STEALING my comments for your own?
  5. Cosmic Rays? by hij · · Score: 1, Troll
    we see the hint of a possible connection between the arrival directions of ultra-high energy cosmic rays and locations on the sky of nearby dormant galaxies

    Can't they be a bit more specific? Are they talking about gamma radiation? They shouldn't use such general terms, otherwise I might confuse this with the messages from Krang that keep getting trapped in my skull. (I'm assuming they aren't referring to some intergalactic dude named "Ray".)

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  6. Another story... by pennsol · · Score: 1

    I saw this Here yesterday it seems like an interesting theory.. it gives a whole new point of view to blackholes.

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