Searching for 85% of the Universe
Exploring the invisible substance that makes up most of our universe and the global scientific hunt to finally detect dark matter.
We can see stars, galaxies, and cosmic dust, but they represent only 15% of the matter in our universe. The rest—dark matter—remains one of science's greatest mysteries, invisible yet fundamental to everything we observe.
The Evidence We Can't Ignore
Galaxies spin too fast. They should fly apart based on visible matter alone, yet they hold together. Gravitational lensing bends light around invisible mass. Something is there, exerting gravitational force, but we cannot see it or detect it directly.
The Hunt for Invisible Particles
Deep underground, in abandoned mines and beneath mountains, scientists operate ultra-sensitive detectors searching for dark matter particles. These experiments shield against cosmic rays, waiting for the faintest interaction that could reveal dark matter's true nature.
Competing Theories
Is dark matter made of WIMPs—weakly interacting massive particles? Or axions? Could it be primordial black holes? Or perhaps our understanding of gravity itself needs revision. Each hypothesis opens new avenues of research and challenges our assumptions.
Why It Matters
Understanding dark matter isn't just academic curiosity. It shaped galaxy formation, influenced cosmic evolution, and made our existence possible. Solving this mystery could revolutionize physics and reveal fundamentally new aspects of reality.
Discussion