SPACE
Scientists create mini-supernova shock waves
Words by Chelsea Gohd
Researchers have created a miniature version of supernova shock waves in a lab here on Earth to solve a long-standing cosmic mystery. When stars die and explode in supernovae, they create shock waves. These powerful shock waves blast out cosmic rays, or highly energetic particles, into the universe. The waves act almost like particle accelerators, pushing these particles out so fast that they approach the speed of light. However, scientists have yet to fully understand exactly how and why the shock waves accelerate these particles.