Peering Inside Pyramids: The Marvels of Muon Radiography

Muon Radiography Unveils Hidden Wonders of Ancient Structures

What are Muons and Where Do They Come From?

Our planet is continually bombarded by a flux of particles known as primary cosmic radiation, primarily composed of protons and heavier atomic nuclei. These high-energy particles can surpass the energies achievable by human-made particle accelerators.

When these energetic particles interact with the outer layers of the Earth’s atmosphere, a cascading process occurs, giving rise to numerous other particles. Among these particles are muons, elementary particles similar to electrons but with a mass approximately 200 times greater.

High-energy muons possess two distinctive properties that make them remarkable: the ability to traverse vast amounts of material (up to several kilometers of rock) and detectability using instruments called “trackers,” which not only identify the presence of muons but also their incoming direction.

How to make use of this?

The quest to unravel the mysteries concealed within ancient structures has taken a giant leap forward with the advent of muon radiography, sometimes referred to as “muography.”