Scientists have detected an ultra-high-energy neutrino under the Mediterranean Sea, marking a significant step in understanding some of the most powerful and cataclysmic events in the universe. This remarkable finding was made by the KM3NeT (Cubic Kilometre Neutrino Telescope) Collaboration, using an advanced observatory still under construction near Sicily.
The neutrino, detected by the ARCA detector in February 2023, measured a staggering 120 quadrillion electronvolts. This energy level is 30 times higher than any other neutrino detected before, making it a pivotal discovery in astrophysics. To put this into perspective, the particle is a quadrillion times more energetic than photons and 10,000 times more powerful than particles produced by the Large Hadron Collider.
Physicists believe this neutrino originated from beyond the Milky Way, potentially from one of 12 supermassive black holes at the center of distant galaxies. However, other cosmic events such as gamma-ray bursts or cosmic ray interactions may also be responsible. The ability to detect such high-energy neutrinos offers scientists a new window into the cosmos, allowing them to study celestial events that remain invisible to traditional telescopes relying on electromagnetic radiation.
Neutrinos are often called “ghost particles” because of their elusive nature. They have no electric charge, negligible mass, and can pass through entire planets without interaction. This makes them ideal messengers for understanding cosmic events, as their trajectory remains unaffected by magnetic fields, unlike cosmic rays. However, detecting them is a formidable challenge, requiring vast detectors submerged deep underwater or embedded in ice. These environments allow neutrinos to occasionally interact with matter, producing faint flashes of light known as Cherenkov radiation, which can be captured by sensitive instruments.
The ARCA detector, located 3,450 meters beneath the Mediterranean near Sicily, is specifically designed to detect high-energy neutrinos. The neutrino it captured traveled through 140 kilometers of rock and seawater before reaching the detector, confirming its cosmic origin. Meanwhile, ORCA, another KM3NeT detector stationed near France, focuses on lower-energy neutrinos.
This discovery is a major milestone in neutrino astrophysics, providing insight into the most energetic processes in the universe. As the KM3NeT detectors continue to expand, scientists anticipate even more profound revelations about the cosmos, further unraveling the mysteries of the universe’s most extreme phenomena.
