Dark matter appears to affect ordinary matter only through gravity. Yet its particles are impossible to observe since they do not interact with ordinary matter or light. This is a great mystery, because all calculations indicate that the dark matter in the universe is many times more massive than the ordinary matter that we make up galaxies, stars, planets, and ourselves from. The realization that we observe only a small part of the universe around us forces us to be humble in the face of the ocean of our ignorance.
Scientists search for dark matter as part of the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment They just reported it.They were able to significantly reduce the properties of hypothetical dark matter.
One of the most popular hypotheses to date suggests that dark matter is made up of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs). The LZ detector has recently allowed researchers to pinpoint possible limits on the properties of these particles.
Read also: What is dark matter made of? A distant galaxy gives us a clue
As part of the LZ, scientists are using a cavern more than a kilometer underground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in South Dakota to search for dark matter. It’s an extremely sensitive detector filled with 10 tons of pure xenon. Looking closely, scientists are looking for atomic nuclei whose motion could indicate they bounced off a WIMP that hit the liquid in the detector.
In the case of WIMPs, scientists focus on their cross-section. Scientists have created a detector so sensitive that it should theoretically be able to register the particles if they had the previously assumed size.
The lack of detection suggests that WIMPs either do not exist or are at least five times smaller in diameter than previously assumed.
However, it should be noted that so far, the data collected at the LZ detector has been analyzed over 280 days. However, the project will end after more than a thousand days of data have been analyzed. Therefore, the results of the entire experiment will not be published until 2028.
Read also: The universe is like Swiss cheese. Dark matter is made up of microscopic black holes
So the situation is very interesting. We still don’t know what dark matter is, but we’re slowly eliminating more possibilities. It’s not yet certain that dark matter is not made of WIMPs, but we’re gradually narrowing the size limits at which these particles can hide from us.
Scientists are already planning to use new analytical tools to search for dark matter with less mass. In fact, researchers are already planning to build a new dark matter detector called XLZD.
Step by step, scientists may be able to figure out what dark matter actually is, if it exists. After all, there’s always the chance that a new explanation for the behavior of matter in galaxies will emerge that won’t require any dark matter. We’ll have to wait a little longer to solve this mystery, though.
Echo Richards embodies a personality that is a delightful contradiction: a humble musicaholic who never brags about her expansive knowledge of both classic and contemporary tunes. Infuriatingly modest, one would never know from a mere conversation how deeply entrenched she is in the world of music. This passion seamlessly translates into her problem-solving skills, with Echo often drawing inspiration from melodies and rhythms. A voracious reader, she dives deep into literature, using stories to influence her own hardcore writing. Her spirited advocacy for alcohol isn’t about mere indulgence, but about celebrating life’s poignant moments.
