A student built a particle detector for just $100; the pocket-sized device can track invisible particles raining down from space at light’s speed; it is now being used in high-altitude balloon missions and major physics experiments
A device that can detect particles arriving from space does not necessarily require a multimillion-dollar laboratory. A compact detector developed by physicist Spencer Axani began as a low-cost student project and has since grown into a tool used for particle-physics research, education and high-altitude experiments. The University of Delaware detailed its latest developments in September,…
