Dark matter hunters may have finally spotted a hint of the particles
Shadowy dark matter has eluded scientists for decades. The LZ experiment may have spotted one particle, called a WIMP, but more data is needed to check.
Scientists have recorded a single interaction between subatomic particles at an experimental facility nearly a mile below ground in South Dakota that doesn't match what's expected from normal matter. The anomaly, detected at the Sanford Underground Research Facility, has sparked interest among dark-matter researchers. According to Universe Today, it is too early to say if a dark-matter particle has been detected.
The interaction may have involved a hypothesized particle called a WIMP, or weakly interacting massive particle, which is one of the proposed candidates for dark matter. Dark matter is thought to account for roughly 85% of the mass in the universe, while ordinary matter makes up only about 15%. The existence of dark matter is inferred from its gravitational effects at galactic scales, as it does not emit or reflect light.
Particle physicist Sam Eriksen of the University of Bristol in England, lead author of a study describing the work, said it "could be the first hint of a dark matter observation," according to CNA - Business. However, more data is needed to confirm the finding, as noted by Science News.
Brief written by urgent.news from Universe Today, CNA - Business, Science News — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
