Deep underground, SuperCDMS begins hunting light dark matter with 24 cryogenic crystals
In the hunt for one of nature's most elusive substances—dark matter, which makes up 85% of all matter in the universe—scientists are going to extremes. Deep underground and chilled to near absolute zero, the Super Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (SuperCDMS) SNOLAB—one of the world's most sensitive dark matter searches—has begun collecting its first scientific data.
Deep underground at SNOLAB in the Vale Creighton mine, near Sudbury, Ontario, the SuperCDMS SNOLAB experiment has initiated its search for light dark matter. Operating at near absolute zero and housed within 24 ultra-pure silicon and germanium crystals, the detectors are sensitive enough to register the faintest vibrations and electrical signals produced by a dark matter particle's interaction with ordinary matter.
Despite not yet reaching full sensitivity, the early-science phase could still yield groundbreaking discoveries. Led by the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and involving 28 institutions, SuperCDMS aims to detect light dark matter with unprecedented sensitivity, opening up new avenues in the search for this elusive substance. The experiment will fine-tune its system through 2026 and commence full-scale searches in 2027.
Written by urgent.news from Phys.org's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
