Cosmic rays have been known for more than a century: we know that they come from space, that they are mainly composed of protons, and that they enter Earth’s atmosphere where they collide with atmospheric particles. This produces secondary cosmic rays that reach us and can be detected using various instruments.
Our knowledge of cosmic rays helps us on multiple scientific fronts—ranging from the fight against climate change, to particle physics, to new insights into Earth’s geomagnetic field and solar activity.
Researchers from the Low-Background Laboratory for Nuclear Physics at the Institute of Physics Belgrade are part of the gLOWCOST (Global Low-Cost Network for Space and Terrestrial Weather Observation) collaboration. Its goal is to use a global network of simple and affordable cosmic rays detectors to contribute to new discoveries in this field. The gLOWCOST collaboration is led by a team from Georgia State University, USA, and already includes numerous institutions, among them the Institute. Another aim of these physicists is to popularize science among the general public, especially young people, who could gain access to these detectors.
What are cosmic rays, how do we study them, and what do researchers involved in the gLOWCOST collaboration do? These are the questions discussed for A Glance at Physics by Dr. Nikola Veselinović from the Low-Background Laboratory for Nuclear Physics.
A GLANCE AT PHYSICS: Hunting Cosmic Rays
AUTHORS: Marija Đurić, Slobodan Bubnjević, Jovana Nikolić
FILMING AND EDITING: Aleksandar Mijailović
PRODUCTION: Institute of Physics Belgrade, 2026
A Glance at Physics is a video series by the Institute of Physics Belgrade that presents, through short episodes, the projects and research carried out at the Institute.