Dark matter makes up about 85% of all matter in the universe, yet its true identity remains one of the biggest cosmological mysteries. At SLAC, researchers are searching high and low – from sweeping surveys of the night sky to sensitive detectors deep underground – to find answers.
Latest dark matter news
The LUX-ZEPLIN experiment observed a particle interaction that could be interpreted as a signal from WIMPs, a dark matter candidate — but researchers will need more data to confirm.
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Dark matter explained
What we can see accounts for only a fraction of the universe. Dark matter and dark energy, both invisible to us, make up about 95% of the cosmos. While dark energy is linked to the universe’s accelerating expansion, dark matter helps hold galaxies together and shape cosmic structure. Scientists search for dark matter directly with extremely sensitive detectors and indirectly through particle experiments and astronomical surveys that look for fingerprints it might leave behind.
Cosmologists Josh Frieman and Risa Wechsler look back on the Dark Energy Survey, sharing how it’s paving the way for Rubin Observatory to dig deeper into some of the universe’s darkest mysteries.
About 30 years ago an ‘ideas guy’ and a team builder joined forces to search for the invisible bulk of existence. In this Q&A, SLAC’s Thomas Shutt and Daniel Akerib discuss the challenges of their field and how future generations of dark matter experiments will narrow down the chase.
For questions or comments, contact SLAC Strategic Communications & External Affairs at communications@slac.stanford.edu.
About SLAC
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory explores how the universe works at the biggest, smallest and fastest scales and invents powerful tools used by researchers around the globe. As world leaders in ultrafast science and bold explorers of the physics of the universe, we forge new ground in understanding our origins and building a healthier and more sustainable future. Our discovery and innovation help develop new materials and chemical processes and open unprecedented views of the cosmos and life’s most delicate machinery. Building on more than 60 years of visionary research, we help shape the future by advancing areas such as quantum technology, scientific computing and the development of next-generation accelerators.
SLAC is operated by Stanford University for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time.