Delve into the enigmatic components that make up most of our universe but remain largely invisible to us.
Despite decades of research, dark matter and dark energy remain among the greatest mysteries in cosmology, together comprising about 95% of the universe while remaining largely invisible and poorly understood.
The Dark Matter Puzzle
Dark matter makes up approximately 27% of the universe. We know it exists because of its gravitational effects on visible matter, but it doesn't interact electromagnetically, making it invisible to our telescopes.
Evidence for Dark Matter
Multiple lines of evidence support dark matter's existence:
- Galaxy rotation curves that don't match visible matter distributions
- Gravitational lensing of background galaxies
- Large-scale structure formation in the universe
- Cosmic microwave background radiation patterns
Dark Energy's Dominance
Dark energy, comprising about 68% of the universe, is even more mysterious. It appears to be causing the universe's expansion to accelerate, working against gravity on cosmic scales.
Detection Efforts
Scientists are using various approaches to detect dark matter particles directly, including underground detectors, particle accelerators, and space-based telescopes. So far, these efforts have yielded tantalizing hints but no definitive detection.
Implications for Cosmology
Understanding dark matter and dark energy is crucial for comprehending the universe's fate, structure formation, and fundamental physics. These mysteries may require new physics beyond our current standard models.
About the Author
Prof. David Kim