The Milky Way shines in high-energy neutrinos

Abstract

The most energetic astrophysical sources in the Milky Way, cosmic accelerators capable of producing high-energy cosmic rays, have resisted discovery for over a century. Up to now, astrophysicists sought these sources mainly by scouring the Galaxy for the gamma rays they are expected to emit. In 2023, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory discovered high-energy neutrinos from the Milky Way, inaugurating a tell-tale stream of evidence of cosmic-ray production and interaction in the Galaxy. In 2023, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory discovered high-energy neutrinos from the Milky Way, an important clue towards understanding the origin of high-energy cosmic rays.