With a spade full of Argentinean soil, scientists from the 19-nation Pierre Auger Project came an important step closer to understanding the mystery of one of nature's most puzzling phenomena, the origin of highest energy cosmic rays. Dr. Arturo Lafalla, Governor of the Province of Mendoza, served as the official host of the March 17 groundbreaking ceremony for the new cosmic ray observatory located near the cities of Malargüe and San Rafael in Mendoza Province, Argentina.