It happens continuously. Speedy protons from space slam into molecules in Earth’s atmosphere, sparking reactions that produce, among other things, muons. Typically, those muons descend imperceptibly to Earth’s surface. But lately, a minute subset of those cosmic-ray-elicited particles have triggered a vivid display at an art installation in London. The display—part muon detector, part sculpture—is the latest example of artwork inspired by researchers at the world’s most famous physics facility. The full article was published at Physics Today.
IMAGE: Yunchul Kim, Dawns, Mine, Crystal, Korean Cultural Centre UK, London, courtesy of the artist and KCCUK, photo by Mark Blower