TIL a photography student sent blank negative film to a dizzying height of 36.5 km using a helium balloon. Cosmic rays burned into the film, revealing ethereal patterns not visible to the human eye.

2026-05-01 12:22 UTC

TIL a photography student sent blank negative film to a height of 36.5 km using a balloon. Cosmic rays burned into the film, revealing ethereal patterns not visible to the human eye.

Replies (10)

@TheMinions@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2026-05-01 13:17

Here are the pics. Ripped the second image from Instagram and reuploaded to Lemmy

Open ##1859034
@degenerate_neutron_matter@fedia.io 2026-05-01 13:24

I'm very skeptical of this. High energy radiation on photographic film generally causes a speckle pattern, where each individual particle that hits the film exposes a small spot. The distribution of speckles should also be relatively uniform across the image. This looks more like a small amount of light made it through the packaging and caused patterns as the film spun around.

Open ##2160706
@01189998819991197253@infosec.pub 2026-05-02 15:59

Back button hijack bullshit. Here are the pictures. ![](https://infosec.pub/pictrs/image/121c903b-7bb8-49d0-becf-a740d063ed78.webp) ![](https://infosec.pub/pictrs/image/05e08bf1-08dc-41d7-97cc-b888068f0663.jpeg)![](https://infosec.pub/pictrs/image/d806f96a-62af-4723-84e3-fb85d3b5b2cd.jpeg)![](https://infosec.pub/pictrs/image/0f875e53-4461-4502-8440-1be4d6327f2d.jpeg)

Open ##2160709
@Cherry@piefed.social 2026-05-01 12:40

Thanks OP cute read. Original article from the student here https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c152gpqxkv0o ...unfortunately it seems like the pics are posted on insta.

Open ##2160710
@einfach_orangensaft@sh.itjust.works 2026-05-01 15:09

hmmmm i doubt thats cosmic rays, seams more like extreme temperature and low presure did something to the films chemistry

Open ##2160711
@StaticFalconar@lemmy.world 2026-05-01 17:29

Seems like everybody is trying Too hard to make something out of nothing. Unless this was a repeatable result where the same coordinates in the sky at the exact altitudes produce the exact repeatable pattern, this is the equivalent on random spill/splash from liquids onto a piece of paper that was then dried. There are plenty of stuff up there besides cosmic rays that will interact with film.

Open ##2160712
@rbos@lemmy.ca 2026-05-01 19:12

I would have expected static.

Open ##2160713
@MatSeFi@lemmy.liebeleu.de 2026-05-02 07:53

They did it during daylight so there are no black holes involved. The stuff is coming from the sun. Anyway, still funny pictures

Open ##2160714
@Viceversa@lemmy.world 2026-05-01 23:59

>using a **helium** balloon Your own source stated that it was hot air.

Open ##2160715
@homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 2026-05-01 16:38

Space is, like, cool.

Open ##2160716