Is dark matter proven to exist?

Because dark matter has not yet been observed directly, if it exists, it must barely interact with ordinary baryonic matter and radiation, except through gravity. Most dark matter is thought to be non-baryonic in nature; it may be composed of some as-yet-undiscovered subatomic particles.

Why is dark matter inferred to exist?

Unlike normal matter, dark matter does not interact with the electromagnetic force. This means it does not absorb, reflect or emit light, making it extremely hard to spot. In fact, researchers have been able to infer the existence of dark matter only from the gravitational effect it seems to have on visible matter.

When was dark matter proven?

Although the first evidence for dark matter was discovered in the 1930s, it was in the early 1980s that astronomers became convinced that most of the mass holding galaxies and clusters of galaxies together is invisible.

How is dark matter created?

Scientists believe that dark matter in the cluster accounts for the unexplained mass. Other scientists believe that dark matter may be composed of strange particles which were created in the very early universe. Such particles may include axions, weakly interacting massive particles (called WIMPs), or neutrinos.

How does dark matter affect galaxy evolution?

Dark matter turns out to be extremely important in determining the evolution of galaxies and of the universe as a whole. And, by measuring the way that galaxies move in clusters, scientists have discovered that dark matter is also distributed among the galaxies in the clusters.

What does dark matter explain?

Dark matter is composed of particles that do not absorb, reflect, or emit light, so they cannot be detected by observing electromagnetic radiation. Dark matter is material that cannot be seen directly. Scientists believe that dark matter may account for the unexplained motions of stars within galaxies.