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..

Dark Matter Episode 1 : One of the most fascinating mysteries of the universe

 

Dark matter is one of the most fascinating mysteries of the universe.

What is Dark Matter?

Dark matter is a type of matter that doesn’t emit, absorb, or reflect light, making it invisible to telescopes.

 

- We can’t see it, but scientists believe it makes up about '27% of the universe’s total mass and energy'.

Why Do We Think Dark Matter Exists?

Although we can’t see dark matter, we know it’s there because of its effects on visible matter, like stars and galaxies. 

Here’s how: 

1. Gravitational Effects 

  - Galaxies spin so fast that, based on the visible mass (stars, planets, gas), they should fly apart. 

  - However, something unseen (dark matter) provides the extra gravity needed to hold them together.

2. Galaxy Clusters 

  - In clusters of galaxies, the total mass of visible matter isn’t enough to explain the gravitational pull keeping the cluster intact. 

 - Dark matter fills this gap.

3. Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) 

  - The CMB is the faint afterglow of the Big Bang. 

  - Patterns in the CMB suggest that dark matter must have been present to help form the large-scale structure of the universe. 

4. Gravitational Lensing 

  - Light from distant galaxies bends as it passes through regions with lots of mass. 

  - The amount of bending often indicates more mass than what we can see, pointing to dark matter. 

What is Dark Matter Made Of? 

Scientists are still unsure, but they have some theories:  

 1. WIMPs (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles) 

   - Hypothetical particles that interact very weakly with normal matter. 

 2. Axions 

   - Extremely light particles that might behave like waves. 

 3. Sterile Neutrinos 

   - A type of neutrino (a tiny, neutral particle) that doesn’t interact with normal matter. 

 

 4. Primordial Black Holes 

   - Very small black holes formed just after the Big Bang.

How Do Scientists Study Dark Matter?

Since it’s invisible, scientists rely on indirect methods : 

1. Particle Detectors 

- Underground labs search for dark matter particles interacting with regular matter. 

2. Large Hadron Collider (LHC)

- This particle accelerator looks for signs of dark matter in high-energy collisions.  

3. Astronomical Observations

 - Telescopes study gravitational effects and patterns in the universe to infer dark matter's presence. 

Why Is Dark Matter Important?

 - Explains the Universe’s Structure : 

Without dark matter, galaxies and stars wouldn’t have formed as they did. 

- Expands Physics : 

Studying dark matter could lead to new discoveries in fundamental physics. 

- Connects to Dark Energy : 

Along with dark matter, dark energy makes up most of the universe, driving its expansion.

Stay Tuned for Next Episode, Dark Matter 2..