from distant stars and galaxies to probe delicate structures on Earth, so that's an undeniable plus.

"From a scientific point of view, we are confident the void exists," said study co-author Hany Helal, a professor of engineering at Cairo University, during a Nature press briefing on Wednesday. "What does it mean? Why is it there? What is the purpose of this void? We have to have international discussions with specialists of Egyptology, in order to know."

The location of the Grand Gallery and the King and Queen's chambers. Image: ScanPyramids mission

During the 19th century, Egyptologists physically tunneled into the Great Pyramid to explore its three largest known cavities: the King's Chamber, which was a tomb, the Queen's Chamber, the purpose of which is debated, and the Grand Gallery corridor thatEnergies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA). "This quantity of muons, the muon flux, gives you an indication of the average density of matter in that direction."

Image: ScanPyramids mission

By setting up three different varieties of muon detector in the Queen's chamber, the team was able to trace out the rough contours of the hidden void above the instruments, and confirm its existence multiple times. The void also showed up when the team placed detectors outside the pyramid, resulting in a high degree of confidence about its existence.

I have bad news for anyone eager to see what's locked away in this void, and good news for those who think secret Egyptian pyramid chambers should be left untouched: There are no plans, at this point, to intrusively burrow into the mysterious