NASA, ESA, Joseph Olmsted (STScl)
Cosmic rays & ancient pyramids, what’s not to love?
A very different story this week: using high-energy particles, originating from violent supernovae and supermassive black holes, to scan the insides of the Great Pyramid of Cheops. Physicists are teaming up with Egyptologists to check some tantalising results from 2017 thaty suggest there just might be a previously unknown cavity — an open space — inside the Great Pyramid. Could it be a new, hidden room? A vault filled with ancient treasure? Or just somewhere they kept all the heating ducts and old pain cans? Plus, Syzygy is officially setting the agenda for astronomy research, and Emily unwraps some baby presents!
Syzygy is produced by Chris Stewart and co-hosted by Dr Emily Brunsden from the Department of Physics at the University of York.
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Things we discuss in this episode:
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ScanPyramids misson in 2017
Explore Great Pyramid mission
The Pyramids of Giza
The Great Pyramid
The solar wind
Cosmic rays causing havoc in computers