Astronomers from the United States made a major discovery of the origin of cosmic rays made using a complex mix of high-tech instruments and observatories located around the globe including at the South Pole and in space. This technique known as multi-messenger astronomy has the potential to unlock numerous mysteries of the galaxy and usher in a new era of science.
The lead observatory — the IceCube Neutrino Observatory — funded by the National Science Foundation and operated by the University of Wisconsin is a leading-edge detector that looks up through the earth to detect tiny neutrinos flowing through our planet and ourselves. It was conceived and built in the 1990’s when scientists theorized that neutrinos existed by were not yet detected. Tim Clancy of Arch Street helped advocate for IceCube funding as part of the NSF budget request and led delegations to the South Pole to inspect the construction of the experimental observatory.