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

为了直接说明宇宙射线正在向我们倾泻而下;观察到的火花线代表来自“外太空”的带电粒子的踪迹;为了将这些粒子的产生与宇宙射线之间的联系联系起来，高层大气中的（主要是μ子，即重电子）以及加速器实验中新物质形式的产生;向观众指出粒子物理学的令人兴奋的发展正在探索目前特别是在欧洲核子研究中心的大型强子对撞机。宇宙射线是粒子物理学和天文学的一个很好的入门：高层大气中的粒子产生及其来源的调查。然后，讨论可以扩展到其他辐射源、中微子和引力波。

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.