Staring out at the vast ocean can evoke feelings of smallness and awe. But what if our universe is even more immense and mysterious? Researchers have long been searching for answers about dark matter, a substance that shapes galaxies yet remains invisible to us. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is bathed in this unknown force, but its effects are carefully contained.
So far, scientists have only grasped dark matter’s gravitational pull, as gravity is a feeble force compared to other natural forces like electromagnetism. To understand dark matter, we need more than just gravity – and that’s why the past three decades of research have yielded mostly null results. The search has focused on finding a single particle, but what if dark matter is actually a complex system of hidden particles and forces?
Imagine a parallel world where dark atoms and nuclei interact through their own unique forces. This “dark sector” could hold the key to understanding how galaxies evolve and even form supermassive black holes. The interactions between these dark entities might shape the course of galaxy growth, influencing the formation of massive black holes in the centers of galaxies. Uncovering the secrets of dark matter is an exciting challenge that may reveal a new world beyond our own.
Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/dark-matter-may-be-a-whole-shadow-world-of-mysterious-atoms-and-forces