The Building Blocks of Dark Matter?

Scientists take a step closer towards discovering what makes up the most mysterious stuff in the universe

By Gregory Mone Posted 03.05.2008 at 11:20 am 4 Comments

Building Blocks of Dark Matter Fermilab

The title of the paper might not jump out at the average science fan—“Search for Axionlike Particles Using a Variable-Baseline Photon-Regeneration Technique”—but the big idea behind the research certainly should. Physicists at Fermilab have designed an experiment to look for the particles that may make up dark matter—the elusive material that may make up most of the matter in the universe.

Scientists say that one of the prime candidate particles is the axion, which is 500 million times lighter than the electron, and does not have the fundamental quality known as spin. In the end, the experiment didn’t turn up evidence of these particles at the energy range they explored, but the scientists do plan to keep looking. Another potential target: The theoretical particles known as chameleons, which, as you might have guessed, supposedly have the tendency to change their properties in different environments.

Via PhysOrg

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4 Comments

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DarkFx

from Winnipeg, Manitoba

03/16/08 at 12:23 am

IF this makes up most of the stuff in this universe i guess thats why from out perspective outwards it is a black abyss, What else could be lighter then 500 millions X an electron?

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ktperera

06/04/08 at 7:42 am

Nature is playing a trick obout Dark Matter.
See my web site at cosmicdarkmatter.com
on a hint about the trick.
/Tissa Perera

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iTriage

05/15/09 at 11:36 am

My Theory on Dark Matter:

Our solar system consists of one star that illuminates all planets and moons.

Stars are made up of gasses and galaxies are a cluster of stars.

I think the Dark Matter that has claimed to be a huge energy/magnetic feild source are actually starless galaxies. Being a starless galaxy might mean a lack of gas and abundance of solid materials thus giving you more gravitational pull.

What would a starless galaxy look like 4500 light years away? I am betting pretty dark.

Have you ever saw a star flicker? I was told that solar storm can give off that appearance. I think between the thousands of lightyears away there are objects crossing the path of my eye site.

This brings the reason why are solar system is black. Billions of particle to planet sized objects consume light. Reflecting less and less light everytime it bounces.

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Bradkrit

06/26/09 at 10:07 am

iTriage I really liked your theory. Unfortunately, you can research the evolution of a solar system and find that it starts out as a "dark" cloud of particles that begin condensing. The majority of the particles collect at the center and heat up, eventually forming a star. It cant be avoided simply because of the magnitude of energy being converted to heat in the countless collisions that occur. The remaining particles rotating around this center star become the planets as they draw into each other.