How much of universe is dark matter

More information on Dark Matter. This includes all intergalactic and interstellar gas and dust, stars, planets, and life. Scientists now use their telescopes and computers to learn ever more about the exciting objects and phenomena in the observable cosmos, but also to glimpse through keyholes into the much larger Dark Universe.

Black Holes Black holes — once the subject of science fiction — are now science fact. X-ray telescopes have been crucial in this shift of thinking. While many things have been learned about these mysterious objects, much more remains to be discovered.

In fact, black holes provide a natural arena for quantum mechanics and general relativity to meet and clash. This means that if we are ever to unify the theories of physics the much sought-after goal of the physics of everything , we need to push forward the studies of black holes.

More on black holes. Supernovas Supernovas are produced when stars end their lives in spectacular explosions so bright that they outshine their home galaxies. During their lives, stars convert hydrogen and helium into heavier, more complex elements, which are distributed into space when the star explodes.

Nearly everything on Earth, including life, owes its start to the demise of earlier generations of stars that went supernova. The remnants of supernovas can glow in X-ray light for thousands of years, and reveal their secrets to sensitive X-ray telescopes.

More on supernovas. Galaxy Clusters Galaxy clusters are the largest structures in the Universe that are held together by gravity. These mammoth objects can contain thousands of individual galaxies, are immersed in vast clouds of hot gas, and are held together by immense amounts of dark matter. Unlike for dark matter, scientists have no plausible explanation for dark energy. According to one idea, dark energy is a fifth and previously unknown type of fundamental force called quintessence, which fills the universe like a fluid.

Many scientists have also pointed out that the known properties of dark energy are consistent with a cosmological constant, a mathematical Band-Aid that Albert Einstein added to his theory of general relativity to make his equations fit with the notion of a static universe.

According to Einstein, the constant would be a repulsive force that counteracts gravity, keeping the universe from collapsing in on itself. Einstein later discarded the idea when astronomical observations revealed that the universe was expanding, calling the cosmological constant his "biggest blunder. Now that we see the expansion of the universe is accelerating, adding in dark energy as a cosmological constant could neatly explain how space-time is being stretched apart.

But that explanation still leaves scientists clueless as to why the strange force exists in the first place. All rights reserved. Unlocking the Mystery Scientists have not yet observed dark matter directly. Expanding Universe Dark energy is even more mysterious, and its discovery in the s was a complete shock to scientists. Share Tweet Email. Why it's so hard to treat pain in infants. This wild African cat has adapted to life in a big city. Animals Wild Cities This wild African cat has adapted to life in a big city Caracals have learned to hunt around the urban edges of Cape Town, though the predator faces many threats, such as getting hit by cars.

India bets its energy future on solar—in ways both small and big. Environment Planet Possible India bets its energy future on solar—in ways both small and big Grassroots efforts are bringing solar panels to rural villages without electricity, while massive solar arrays are being built across the country.

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Animals Wild Cities Wild parakeets have taken a liking to London. Thank you for submitting your email! It looks like something went wrong. Try refreshing this page and updating them one more time. If you continue to get this message, reach out to us at customer-service technologyreview.

Skip to Content. The extent of the DES dark matter map of the sky so far, after the latest findings. The bright spots represent the highest concentrations of dark matter, while darker areas indicate low densities. Deep Dive. By Tatyana Woodall archive page. By Jonathan O'Callaghan archive page. By Neel V. Patel archive page.