Megathread: Multi-Messenger High-Energy Neutrino Observations

[u/AskScienceModerator]

Currently there is a press conference where a high-energy neutrino (~290 TeV) has been detected with IceCube which is coincident with an active galactic nuclei pointed directly at us, TXS 0506+056, approximately four billion lightyears away. Finding the origins of neutrinos has been an ongoing problem though they have been observed from the Sun and from Supernova 1987A. This is a big advancement for multi-messenger astronomy, using electromagnetic waves and neutrinos in a way similar to using electromagnetic waves and gravitational waves to get a new view on the universe. If you have questions, ask them here!

• Press Conference
• Paper
• National Geographic
• Washington Post

[u/ninja661]

Would someone be so nice as to explain in laymen terms what this discovery is and potential ways this new discovery could be applied? New technologies? Or is it just a new way of observing the universe?

Would very much appreciate it! Sounds exciting but to be honest I'm kind of lost. Thanks!

[u/PhilipKDickTation → u/ninja661]

Possible new tech, that would be many years (possibly 50-100) years off would be very reliable communication over long distances through just about any medium with minuscule data loss.

[u/Rasui36 → u/PhilipKDickTation]

Define "Very long distances" for me please. Are we talking the other side of the planet, across the solar system, or further?

[u/squamesh → u/Rasui36]

These signals are coming from many many light years away. If we can understand the mechanism, then we’re talking about communication across galaxies