How many cosmic particles are passing through your body at any moment?

Every second, Earth is bombarded by cosmic particles that originate from outer space. These particles include neutrinos, cosmic rays, and muons. Neutrinos, which are the most common type of cosmic particle, are produced by nuclear activity in the sun and other celestial bodies. An estimated 100 trillion neutrinos pass through each person every second, although they barely interact with regular matter and often pass through us without leaving a trace.

Cosmic rays, on the other hand, are high-energy particles that mostly consist of protons or heavier atomic nuclei and can travel at nearly the speed of light. When cosmic rays collide with Earth's atmosphere, they generate a shower of secondary particles, including muons, which can interact with matter and be detected. At sea level, approximately one muon passes through a person's hand every second.

While neutrinos and cosmic rays pose no health risk due to their low energy, their detection relies on specialized detectors that record the interactions of these particles with matter, such as the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica.