THIS is what happens when matter goes faster than light speed. It’s not just some blue light. You’re watching Cherenkov Radiation take place. In water, light travels slower, and when charged particles move faster, they leave behind this cool blue echo of light. 💡 For more cool science like this, catch up on episodes of @okaytobesmart on YouTube! | PBS Digital Studios

#OnThisDay in 1904, Pavel Cherenkov was born. He's the man who first discovered what this blue glow was surrounding a reactor core. Today it's called Cherenkov radiation — a phenomenon that happens when electrically charged particles, such as protons or electrons, travel faster than light in a clear medium like water. #nuclear #cleanenergy | U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy

What’s that blue glow surrounding a reactor? It’s a phenomenon known as Cherenkov Radiation when electrically charged particles, such as protons or electrons, travel faster than light in a clear medium like water. | U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy