Detecting cosmic rays with a spark chamber; connecting with particle physics and astronomy.

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To illustrate directly that cosmic rays are raining down upon us; that the observed lines of sparks represent the trails of charged particles from "outer space"; to make the connection between the production of these particles (mainly muons i.e. heavy electrons) in the upper atmosphere and the production of new forms of matter in accelerator experiments; to point the audience to the exciting developments in particle physics being explored currently especially at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. Cosmic rays make an excellent introduction into particle physics and astronomy: particle production in the upper atmosphere and the investigation of their source. The discussion can then be widened to other sources of radiation, to neutrinos and to gravitational waves.