Cosmic rays are high-energy particles, primarily protons and atomic nuclei, that originate from various sources outside of Earth’s atmosphere. Unlike electromagnetic radiation, such as visible light or radio waves, cosmic rays are composed of charged particles. These particles can have incredibly high energies, some reaching speeds close to the speed of light.The sources of cosmic rays include supernovae, active galactic nuclei, and other astrophysical phenomena. They are accelerated to very high energies by these processes and then travel through space, eventually interacting with the Earth’s atmosphere. When cosmic rays collide with the Earth’s atmosphere, they produce secondary particles through a cascade of interactions. These secondary particles can be detected and studied by ground-based detectors or satellites.