Dark Matter Episode 2

*sample of percentage and etc about dark matter, dark energy and etc.

Let’s dive deeper into the 'search for dark matter' and its mysterious counterpart, 'dark energy'. 

How Scientists Search for Dark Matter

1. Direct Detection Experiments

Scientists look for tiny interactions between dark matter particles and regular matter. 

 - How It Works : 

Large detectors are placed deep underground to shield them from cosmic rays and other interference. 

If a dark matter particle interacts with the detector, it leaves a tiny signal. 

 - Examples of Experiments : 

 -- XENON1T : 

Uses liquid xenon to detect faint flashes of light from particle interactions. 

 -- LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) : 

One of the most sensitive dark matter detectors. 

2. Indirect Detection

Dark matter particles might occasionally annihilate or decay, producing detectable particles like gamma rays or neutrinos. 

 - How It Works : 

Telescopes look for unusual emissions in space (e.g., gamma rays near the center of galaxies). -- 

-- Examples : 

The 'Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope' observes high-energy gamma rays.

3. Collider Experiments

Physicists attempt to create dark matter particles by smashing regular particles together at high energies.

 - How It Works : 

Collisions in the 'Large Hadron Collider (LHC)' could produce particles that behave like dark matter. 

 -- Missing energy after a collision might indicate dark matter.

4. Gravitational Effects

Astronomers study how dark matter affects the motion of galaxies and light. 

 - Examples :

 -- Gravitational Lensing : 

Maps dark matter by observing how it bends light from distant galaxies. 

 --- Galaxy Rotation Curves : 

Studies the speed of stars orbiting in galaxies. 

What About Dark Energy?

 What is Dark Energy?

 - While dark matter explains the gravity holding galaxies together, dark energy explains why the universe is expanding 'faster and faster'. 

 -- Dark energy makes up about '68% of the universe'.

How Do We Study Dark Energy?

 1. Supernova Observations 

 - Astronomers study distant exploding stars (supernovae) to measure how the universe’s expansion has changed over time. 

 - This led to the discovery of accelerating expansion in 1998. 

2. Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) 

 - The CMB reveals the early structure of the universe. - Studying patterns in the CMB helps estimate the amount of dark energy. 

3. Large-Scale Structure Surveys

 - Telescopes map galaxies to understand how they’re distributed. - The way galaxies cluster provides clues about dark energy’s role in shaping the universe. 

Open Questions About Dark Matter and Dark Energy

 1. What is Dark Matter Made Of?

 - Scientists haven’t found definitive evidence for WIMPs, axions, or other candidates. 

 2. What Exactly is Dark Energy?

 - It could be a property of space itself (vacuum energy), a new field, or something entirely unknown. 

 3. How Do They Interact?

 - Dark matter and dark energy might be connected, but the relationship is still unclear.  

"Why It’s Fascinating" 

 - Dark matter and dark energy combined make up 95% of the universe, meaning we only understand a tiny fraction of what exists.

 - Studying them could revolutionize our understanding of physics and the cosmos.

Stay Tuned for Dark Matter Episode 3 coming soon..