What is Dark Matter ?

Dark matter may be complex, elusive and mysterious, but scientists all over the world will continue the hunt – and what they find could eventually transform our very notion of the cosmos.

we would be able to detect baryonic clouds by their absorption of radiation passing through them. Third, dark matter is not antimatte

we do not see the unique gamma rays that are produced when antimatter annihilates with matter.

Finally, we can rule out large galaxy-sized black holes on the basis of how many gravitational lenses we see. High concentrations of matter bend light passing near them from objects further away, but we do not see enough lensing events to suggest that such objects to make up the required 25% dark matter contribution.

at this point, there are still a few dark matter possibilities that are viable. Baryonic matter could still make up the dark matter if it were all tied up in brown dwarfs or in small, dense chunks of heavy elements. These possibilities are known as massive compact halo objects, or "MACHOs"

he most common view is that dark matter is not baryonic at all, but that it is made up of other, more exotic particles like axions or WIMPS (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles).

Planets, stars, asteroids, galaxies – the things that we can actually see – constitute less than 5% of the total universe. So what makes up the rest? Therein lies the mystery.

Dark matter is the name we give to all the mass in the universe that remains invisible, and there’s a whole lot of it.

Research suggests that about 70% of the universe is composed of dark energy, whilst the remaining 25% is composed of a mysterious substance known as dark matter.

We can’t see it, we don’t understand it, but we know it’s out there.

1. Dark matter is EVERYWHERE

2. It’s completely invisible

Dark matter is really hard to study, because we have no way of seeing it. This weird substance doesn’t interact with light, so it’s totally invisible.

So how do we know it exists? Well, because it affects the universe in strange ways; and that’s something we can see.

3. Dark matter binds galaxies together

So dark matter can’t be seen, but it can be felt because of its powerful impact on space.

Dark matter exerts ‘gravitational force’, meaning that it draws other matter towards it.

And there’s so much dark matter that its gravitational force is enough to hold entire galaxies – like our own Milky Way – together.

Dark matter is EVERYWHERE
Planets, stars, asteroids, galaxies – the things that we can actually see – constitute less than 5% of the total universe. So what makes up the rest? Therein lies the mystery.

That’s why dark matter is often likened to a giant spider’s web, meshing galaxies in place.

Dark matter is the name we give to all the mass in the universe that remains invisible, and there’s a whole lot of it. Research suggests that about 70% of the universe is composed of dark energy, whilst the remaining 25% is composed of a mysterious substance known as dark matter. We can’t see it, we don’t understand it, but we know it’s out there.

We can also see the effects of dark matter simply by looking up at the sky. When astronomers observe distant galaxies, they often appear stretched and oddly shaped.

It’s completely invisible
Dark matter is really hard to study, because we have no way of seeing it. This weird substance doesn’t interact with light, so it’s totally invisible.

This effect is known as ‘gravitational lensing, and it’s caused by dark matter’s gravitational force.

So how do we know it exists? Well, because it affects the universe in strange ways; and that’s something we can see