Mining for cosmic answers

In a South Dakota cavern, scientists are working to capture the most elusive particles in the universe. — ©2024 The New York Times Company

EVERY morning, two dozen miners and engineers pack into a cage-like elevator for an 11-minute descent into the bowels of South Dakota’s Black Hills.

At the bottom, 1.5km beneath the surface, they step out into a rocky, twisting corridor. This leads to two vast caverns, each as high as a seven-storey building.