[AntonioLao]

Natural high energy events from cosmic ray collisions with upper atmospheric atoms and molecules led to the discovery of many key subatomic particles, for examples: the positron, pion, muon, V-particle, and kaon. In fact, a disproportionate number of Nobel Prizes in Physics were awarded with ties to research in cosmic rays. The continued success of high energy collisions has surpassed most physicists expectations using accelerators like those of CERN, HERA, Fermilab, Brookhaven, Stanford, etc. The recent abandonment of superconducting supercolliding technology in Texas is the unfortunate result of a feasibility study that Planck energy domain or the GUT energy threshold for the X-boson of supersymmetry is not attainable by applying the standard model of elementary particles (electroweak and quantum chromodynamics). Nevertheless, the natural components of cosmic rays are still 88% protons, 9% helium and heavier nuclei, 2% energetic electrons, ranging in energy from 10^9 eV to 10^20 eV. The sources are solar, supernovas, galactic, and extragalactic. The mystery lies at the extreme high energy of extragalactic sources. Seemingly, interstellar or intergalactic outer space possesses powerful accelerators beyond our wildest dream.

[mkirkpatrick]

Originally Posted by AntonioLao Natural high energy events from cosmic ray collisions with upper atmospheric atoms and molecules led to the discovery of many key subatomic particles, for examples: the positron, pion, muon, V-particle, and kaon. In fact, a disproportionate number of Nobel Prizes in Physics were awarded with ties to research in cosmic rays. The continued success of high energy collisions has surpassed most physicists expectations using accelerators like those of CERN, HERA, Fermilab, Brookhaven, Stanford, etc. The recent abandonment of superconducting supercolliding technology in Texas is the unfortunate result of a feasibility study that Planck energy domain or the GUT energy threshold for the X-boson of supersymmetry is not attainable by applying the standard model of elementary particles (electroweak and quantum chromodynamics). Nevertheless, the natural components of cosmic rays are still 88% protons, 9% helium and heavier nuclei, 2% energetic electrons, ranging in energy from 10^9 eV to 10^20 eV. The sources are solar, supernovas, galactic, and extragalactic. The mystery lies at the extreme high energy of extragalactic sources. Seemingly, interstellar or intergalactic outer space possesses powerful accelerators beyond our wildest dream.

What do you think causes these powerful
accelerations,Antonio,surely not gravity?
kind regards michael.

[AntonioLao]

Originally Posted by mkirkpatrick What do you think causes these powerful accelerations

Could be the anti-gravity's dark energy of quasars. Quasars are the farthest (or oldest) objects at the edge of visibility.

[baudrunner]

Or newest, fact is we don't really know what quasars are. they could be what happens when the expansion rate of the Universe attains near light speed, where mass is infinite and time stands still.

I think that it might be possible to harness this "energy of distance". In the same way that an apple pit is squeezed between thumb and forefinger and shot out, the space between stars or between galaxies can be treated as the rail in the middle of the powerful electromagnetic field that makes a rail gun.

[mkirkpatrick]

Originally Posted by baudrunner Or newest, fact is we don't really know what quasars are. they could be what happens when the expansion rate of the Universe attains near light speed, where mass is infinite and time stands still. I think that it might be possible to harness this "energy of distance". In the same way that an apple pit is squeezed between thumb and forefinger and shot out, the space between stars or between galaxies can be treated as the rail in the middle of the powerful electromagnetic field that makes a rail gun.

Could such a thing(railgun I mean) ever be made,itis an interesting idea.

kind regards michael.

[baudrunner]

The railgun is not a new concept. They have already been designed in many variations including portable ones and of dimensions sufficient to propel a payload into space, or an explosive projectile halfway around the world.

Whether we will ever be able to apply the theory that I was suggesting depends on our ability to survive into a future wherein the application of this principle can be realized.