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Scientists unveil groundbreaking plan to detect dark matter in space. Find out how this research could transform our view of the universe!
Dark matter is one of the great mysteries of the Universe, influencing the cosmic structure without its nature being fully understood. Now, scientists from Southampton University, at United Kingdom, are developing an experiment innovator to try to detect it directly in space.
Dark matter cannot be seen or detected directly, as it does not interact with light or other forms of electromagnetic radiation.
However, its existence is inferred from its gravitational effects on visible matter. Studies show that it outnumbers ordinary matter by a ratio of approximately six to one.
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This discrepancy is observed, for example, in the unexpectedly high speed of the outer parts of galaxies and in the distortion of space-time around large masses.
Despite several attempts, no experiment conducted on Earth has managed to directly detect dark matter. This has led scientists to seek new approaches to solve this enigma.
A new experiment in space
The University of Southampton team has proposed a novel method: levitating graphite sheets in microgravity to identify subtle anomalies that could indicate the presence of dark matter. The experiment will be sent into Earth orbit aboard the Jovian-1 satellite, where it will operate for two years.
According to physicist Tim Fuchs, one of the project leaders, the goal is to test the interaction of dark matter with graphite sheets. “Our experiment is unlike anything ever tried before: we're going to levitate graphite between magnets that, in zero gravity, are incredibly sensitive to tiny forces.", Explain.
The idea is that if there is a sufficiently high density of dark matter around the satellite, a “wind” dark gently push the levitated particles, an effect that could be measured.
Impact and future perspectives
The Jovian-1 satellite, about the size of a shoebox, will carry several experiments developed by students from the universities of Southampton, Portsmouth and Surrey, all in the United Kingdom.
Launch is scheduled for early 2026, and the results could provide valuable insights into the nature of dark matter.
If the experiment detects signs of this substance, we could be facing one of the most significant advances in modern physics.
But even if there is no direct detection, the data collected will help refine theories and improve future attempts to understand dark matter.
"There are theories that dark matter's interaction rate may be so high that it cannot penetrate our atmosphere or the mountains beneath which detectors are built. This may explain why many major experiments on Earth have failed to find it.“, says Fuchs.
The mission of the Jovian-1 will be the first to test this levitation technology in space, paving the way for new approaches in the search for dark matter.
If successful, it could revolutionize our understanding of the Universe and lead to unprecedented scientific discoveries.
With information sciencealert.
