Secrets of Great Pyramid uncovered

The Great Pyramid has been shrouded in mystery for millennia, but now a long-held secret of its structure might be known thanks to particle physics.

An apparent void lying undiscovered deep within the ancient Wonder of the World was found by scientists who had been mapping it using cosmic ray-based imaging.

The internal structure is located above the Grand Gallery – which links two of the Pyramid’s chambers – and traces a similar route for at least 30 metres, according to a study published in the journal Nature.

While the precise design and purpose of the space is unknown, it was hailed by the team of academics as the biggest discovery inside the Giza landmark since the 19th Century.

Made under the watch of the Pharaoh Khufu and completed in around 2550 BC, the Great Pyramid, also known as Khufu’s Pyramid, served as the world’s tallest man-made construction for thousands of years.

How it was built has long been a bone of academic contention.

Researchers from countries including France and Japan began a project to scan the structure in October 2015.

They employed by-products of the cosmic ray known as muons that are only partially absorbed by stone. This allowed the insides to be visualised without physically disturbing it, as the results showed empty space differently from rock.