cosmic ray

noun

: a stream of atomic nuclei of extremely penetrating character that enter the earth's atmosphere from outer space at speeds approaching that of light

Examples of cosmic ray in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Earth’s magnetic field wavered, and living things were bombarded by cosmic rays, confounding the navigational senses of turtles and porpoises, which beached themselves en masse. Zach St. George, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024 Radiation here on Earth also generates cosmic rays. Bill Gourgey, Popular Science, 23 Nov. 2023 The cancer risk from cosmic rays and the problems that human bodies experience in microgravity could be deal-breakers on their own. Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2023 Cosmogenic nuclides are rare isotopes created when high-energy cosmic rays interact with chemical elements in minerals on Earth’s surface. Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 12 Mar. 2024 For the last couple of decades, NASA has devoted Voyager's instruments to studying cosmic rays, the magnetic field, and the plasma environment in interstellar space. Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica, 6 Feb. 2024 In the 17th frame of backward-facing time-lapse, a small black speck appears briefly before disappearing, which is a result of a cosmic ray hitting the camera sensor, according to NASA. Jon Michael Raasch Fox News, Fox News, 2 Jan. 2024 But in the comics, the Fantastic Four are astronauts who are remade into superheroes after they’re exposed to cosmic rays in space. Variety, NBC News, 14 Feb. 2024 In the comics, the Fantastic Four centers around a group of astronauts who get exposed to cosmic rays in space and gain superhero abilities. Kelsie Gibson, Peoplemag, 14 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cosmic ray.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1925, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cosmic ray was in 1925

Dictionary Entries Near cosmic ray

Cite this Entry

“Cosmic ray.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cosmic%20ray. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

cosmic ray

noun
: a stream of atomic nuclei of extremely penetrating character that enter the earth's atmosphere from outer space at speeds approaching that of light

More from Merriam-Webster on cosmic ray

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