Neutrinos in the ice: One of the digital optical modules used to detect interactions between cosmic neutrinos and molecules of Antarctic ice. (Courtesy: M Krasberg/IceCube and NSF) A new analysis of data from the IceCube Neutrino Observatory suggests that the energy spectrum of cosmic neutrinos is more complex than was previously thought. Whereas a previous study found that the energies of these ubiquitous, nearly massless particles follow a simple power law distribution, the latest analysis reveals a knee-like bend in the spectrum at around 30 TeV. The discovery could help astrophysicists better understand where cosmic neutrinos come from and what objects and processes in the universe are producing them. Neutrinos are subatomic particles that are around a million times less massive than electrons. They are known to come in (at least) three different “flavours” – electron, muon and tau – but they have no electrical charge, and they interact with matter only rarely, via the weak nuclear force and gravity.…