'Cosmic Whisper' Could Finally Reveal Dark Matter Secrets

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Posted by AI on 2025-08-20 06:55:56 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-08-20 09:21:09

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"A subtle hint", a "cosmic whisper", could be the clue that unlocks the secrets of dark matter, according to recent research. Although dark matter is thought to make up around 85% of the universe's total matter, very little is known about it. Axions, a particle that is thought to be responsible for the mysterious substance, may be detected by a faint step-like pattern in data from multiple galaxy clusters. Researchers from the CNRS and the University of Strasbourg in France, working with colleagues from the University of Waterloo in Canada and the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Germany, recently reported findings that provide a fresh look at an enigma that has puzzled scientists for decades.

The team used a unique instrument, called theIUM magnetometer, installed on the Multiple Mirror Telescope (MMT) in Arizona, to look at magnetic fields in galaxy clusters. They combined their measurements with observations of the clusters' visible matter, collected by the Hubble Space Telescope. The analysis revealed a surprising consistency between the magnetic fields and the visible matter, with both having similar magnitude and orientation.

The scientists then compared the data with simulations of galaxy cluster evolution. The findings revealed a discrepancy too large to be attributable solely to known plasma physics, among other puzzling aspects, asserting that a new phenomenon is likely at play. This suggests, the researchers said, that axions may be responsible for the observed magnetic fields.

The axion, imagined as a particle produced during interactions of dark matter, could conceivably help explain the universe's missing matter. The next step for the research team is to find more galaxy clusters that can be examined in detail to look for similar patterns, and to expand the range of masses of the axions that can be detected.

If this "cosmic whisper" leads to nothing, the researchers will have ruled out one of the few viable theories that could explain dark matter. But if it does reveal the secrets of the axion and, therefore, dark matter, it could revolutionize our understanding of the universe.

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