GoKawiilThe Universe is filled with charged particles called cosmic rays that propagate at close to the speed of light and are thought to be accelerated by colossal, supersonic shocks1. These shocks occur on scales ranging from planets right up to supernovae. Writing in Nature, Raptis et al.2 report a unifying model that, they argue, captures the mechanisms of particle acceleration. This model links the maximum energy of accelerated charged particles to the spatial scale of the shock. The finding, which was made using data from NASA’s Jupiter-orbiting spacecraft Juno, challenges conventional theory and might shed light on the enigmatic origin of cosmic rays.
Nature 654, 38-39 (2026)
doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-026-01412-z
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Competing Interests The author declares no competing interests.
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