Dark Matter

Roughly 80 percent of the mass of the universe appears to be dark matter: an invisible material that seems to interact with ordinary matter only through gravity, without emitting light or energy. Scientists cannot detect dark matter directly and don't yet know what it's made of, but they track its influence based on the motions of stars and galaxies. The presence of dark matter is necessary to explain the universe's current structure.

Related Topics: The Big Bang Theory, Black Holes, The Theory of Relativity in Space, Gravitational Waves

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Scientists think that dark matter produces a bright and spherical halo of X-ray emission around the center of the Milky Way.

Astronomers weigh ancient galaxies' dark matter haloes for 1st time

By Robert Lea published

Astronomers have weighed the halos of dark matter that surround ancient galaxies with profound implications for our understanding of cosmic evolution.

A diagram shows light from the quasar being gravitationally lensed revealing the distribution of dark matter

Dark matter 'clumps' found by tapping into Einstein's general relativity theory

By Robert Lea published

Gravitationally lensed light from a distant quasar, powered by a supermassive black hole, could help constrain the properties of dark matter.

(Left) Atomic clocks in use at the NPL (Right) the bullet cluster a collision between two galaxies with a morphology that indicates the presence of dark matter

Atomic clocks on Earth could reveal secrets about dark matter across the universe

By Robert Lea published

Using atomic clocks could help bring cosmology and astrophysics "down to Earth" by allowing scientists to investigate the mystery of dark matter in the lab.

Two views of a galaxy cluster are seen. On the right, areas where dark matter is expected to exist are shaded in blue.

We still don't know what dark matter is, but here's what it's not

By Monisha Ravisetti published

An experimental detector can now rule out dark matter particles down to about a fifth of a proton's mass.

An illustration of deep space, filled with stars and dense orange/brown clouds.

25 years after its discovery, dark energy remains frustratingly elusive

By Paul Sutter published

While there are hints that dark energy may be 'phantom,' its true nature remains frustratingly elusive, a new study reports.

The inside of the LZ outer detector shown as a white facility with gold eye-like detectors.

Researchers dig deep underground in hopes of finally observing dark matter

By Hugh Lippincott published

Physicists like me don't fully understand what makes up "dark matter." Deep beneath South Dakota, we're trying to change that.

On the left, a black and white image showing tons of glimmering spots representing stars and galaxies taken by Euclid's VIS instrument. On the right, a reddish version of a similar scene, taken by NISP.

Euclid 'dark universe' telescope reveals its 1st sparkling images of the cosmos (photos)

By Monisha Ravisetti published

Euclid's stunning seminal images confirm that the observatory's instruments are working as expected.

An illustration of deep space, filled with stars and dense orange/brown clouds.

We can measure dark energy across the universe in our own cosmic backyard

By Paul Sutter published

Researchers have found a new way to measure dark energy — the mysterious force that is causing the expansion of the entire universe to accelerate — using data from our own cosmic backyard.

interconnected pinkish filaments form a spiderweb pattern against a dark-blue background

'Hidden' photons could shed light on mysterious dark matter

By Robert Lea published

A new super-cool technique could shed light on a hidden dark matter candidate known as 'dark photons.'

illustration showing several small galaxies encased in bubbles hovering above a forest-like landscape

World's biggest radio telescope could tease out secrets of dark matter, universe's 1st galaxies

By Robert Lea published

The coming Square Kilometre Array could shed light on mysterious dark matter, revealing the role it played in the formation of the universe's first galaxies.

A telescope image of warped yellow starlight forming a smily face against a black background.

Distortions in space-time could put Einstein's theory of relativity to the ultimate test

By Robert Lea published

Observing time distortions could show whether Einstein's theory of general relativity accounts for the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy.

A white SpaceX rocket lifts off above a pillar of flame and exhaust plume into a blue Florida sky with the Euclid space telescpope

What's next for Europe's Euclid 'dark universe' telescope after stunning SpaceX launch?

By Elizabeth Howell published

The European-led Euclid mission soared into space on July 1 on a journey to understand the dark universe. Getting the ambitious project set for observing will take months.

A SpaceX white and black rocket launches into a blue sky

SpaceX rocket launches Euclid space telescope to map the 'dark universe' like never before (video)

By Elizabeth Howell published

Europe's Euclid satellite flew July 1 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. After reaching its deep space destination, Euclid will map an unseen part of our universe's history.

Euclid is set to launch this year on a rocket built by SpaceX.

Who is the Euclid 'dark universe' space telescope named after?

By Keith Cooper published

Dark matter and dark energy distort traditional Euclidean geometry in the universe, and the Euclid mission will measure how much they distort it by.

The Euclid telescope will trace the signatures of dark energy in the distribution of galaxies across the universe,

We have never seen dark matter and dark energy. Why do we think they exist?

By Tereza Pultarova published

We have never seen dark matter and dark energy, so why do we think they exist? And what would happen if Europe's new space telescope Euclid finds evidence that they don't exist after all?

illustration of a spacecraft with milky way in behind and galaxies to the right

Europe's 'dark universe' Euclid spacecraft ready for July 1 SpaceX launch

By Elizabeth Howell published

The Euclid spacecraft, which aims to shed light on dark matter and dark energy, is ready to lift off atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Saturday (July 1).

The new European space telescope Euclid will look for evidence of dark matter and dark energy in the cosmos.

How will Europe's Euclid space telescope see into the dark universe?

By Tereza Pultarova published

Europe's Euclid telescope is heading to space to prove whether hypothetical dark energy and dark matter really exist. The mission's findings may rewrite cosmology textbooks.

This image shows just a tiny portion of a new survey of the Milky Way, conducted by the Dark Energy Camera in Chile, that revealed an incredible 3.32 billion objects.

James Webb Space Telescope will help Euclid spacecraft investigate dark energy and dark matter

By Sharmila Kuthunur published

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is expected to complement a part of the Euclid spacecraft's mission to unveil the nature of dark energy.

A view of galaxy cluster abell 1689 with purple galaxies and bright stars

Is dark matter fuzzy? Ultracold state of matter sheds light on dark matter candidate

By Robert Lea published

An exotic, ultracold state of matter on Earth is helping scientists study the behavior of "fuzzy" dark matter.

a cloud of blue-white gas in space

The expansion of the universe could be a mirage, new theoretical study suggests

By Robert Lea published

New research looking at the cosmological constant problem suggests the expansion of the universe could be an illusion.