New dark matter map confirms Einstein's theories about the universe

[Alfonso Maruccia]

What just happened? Dark matter is that mysterious, invisible substance permeating the entire universe that binds stars, planets, galaxies and everything else together. This intangible cosmic web has now been portrayed in unprecedented detail, confirming once again that our current knowledge about physics and cosmology isn't an illusion.

An international team of over 160 astronomers used the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) to shed new light on the invisible dark matter accounting for around 85 percent of the entire mass in the universe. The landmark study confirms Albert Einstein's theories about gravity and cosmology, reaffirming once again the validity of the Standard Model of physics.

Before the ACT observatory was decommissioned at the end of 2022, researchers collected enough data for their study by looking again at the cosmic microwave background (CMB). The CMB is a diffuse radiation that fills the entire observable universe, and is traditionally considered the first electromagnetic wailing of the cosmos having originated when the universe was only 380,000 years old.

Astronomers tracked how the gravitational pull of large structures in the universe – including dark matter – warps the CMB radiation throughout the 14 billion years it took to arrive on Earth, just like a magnifying glass bends light passing through the lens. The new, detailed map made from these observations show that the "lumpiness" and the expansion rate of the universe agree with the Standard Model of cosmology based on Einstein's theory of gravity.

Blake Sherwin, professor of cosmology at the University of Cambridge, said the new map provides novel insights into an ongoing debate some have called "The Crisis in Cosmology." The "crisis" here stems from recent measurements made by using the background light emitted by stars in galaxies rather than CMB fossil radiation alone.

These results seemed to suggest that dark matter was not "lumpy" enough to bind the universe together, making the Standard Model of cosmology essentially "broken" or at least incomplete. Conversely, the new map made with the ACT observatory is in "good agreement" with the predictions originating from the Standard Model. No more need to cook up new physics laws to "fix" our knowledge about how nature works, for now.

Suzanne Staggs, director of ACT and Professor of Physics at Princeton University, said the "CMB lensing data rivals more conventional surveys of the visible light from galaxies in their ability to trace the sum of what is out there." Taken together, CMB lensing and the best optical surveys are clarifying the "evolution of all the mass in the universe."

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https://www.techspot.com/news/98303-new-dark-matter-map-confirms-einstein-theories-about.html

 

[tellmewhy]

I think the strongest possibility is that the dark matter is an amount of ordinary matter (and/or antimatter) in the cold state of a Bose Einstein condensate (dense hydrogen clouds cooled to absolute zero) and maybe some other amount in the form of primitive black holes. This is why it emits nothing, because the particles have no kinetic energy at temperatures close to absolute zero or because they are in black holes.

 

[Arbie]

I view cosmology reports through Hossenfelder lensing. That gives the clearest picture for me, at least.

 

[Uncle Al]

This was a recent subject on NPR and it explained it in depth although they seemed to think some of this was opposite of Einstein's theory .... of course with the new telescope they are finding new things daily and this may provide more clues to the discoveries .....

 

[daffy duck]

I think the strongest possibility is that the dark matter is an amount of ordinary matter (and/or antimatter) in the cold state of a Bose Einstein condensate (dense hydrogen clouds cooled to absolute zero) and maybe some other amount in the form of primitive black holes. This is why it emits nothing, because the particles have no kinetic energy at temperatures close to absolute zero or because they are in black holes.

No way that condensate would be stable even if it could form.

 

[tellmewhy]

No way that condensate would be stable even if it could form.

The average temperature in space is about 2 Kelvin (average means that there are regions below 2 Kelvin and regions above 2 Kelvin), by definition when a gas e.g. boson gas is at this low temperature near absolute zero then it goes into the state of matter known as BEC (Boze Einstein Condensate). As you can read here ( https://physics.aps.org/story/v2/st22 ) hydrogen atoms can form BEC. So it's like saying that when the temperature reaches 0 degrees Celsius water will have some problem becoming ice, it’s not true. On earth where the ambient temperature is well above 0 Kelvin it is difficult to form BEC, they usually take a few atoms, first cool them with nitrogen or helium, then use lasers (Raman cooling) or magnetic fields to immobilize them and in a new more sophisticated method recently they are using lasers away from the natural eigenfrequency of the atoms for greater efficiency. Generally on earth it is difficult, but when the ambient temperature is close to 0 Kelvin as it is in space then it is not difficult it happens naturally. The strange properties of these masses in BEC state may be able to solve the other mystery of Dark Energy with negative pressure accelerating the expansion of the univ

 

[d5aqoep]

*Bose (Satyendra Bose) not Boze

 

[kiwigraeme]

I think the strongest possibility is that the dark matter is an amount of ordinary matter (and/or antimatter) in the cold state of a Bose Einstein condensate (dense hydrogen clouds cooled to absolute zero) and maybe some other amount in the form of primitive black holes. This is why it emits nothing, because the particles have no kinetic energy at temperatures close to absolute zero or because they are in black holes.

Not sure - if so definitely testable as light passing through it will be affected slightly by it

Isn't dark matter meant to make up to 70% of universe from memory ( read New Scientist all the time )
good thing is some theories for dark matter or dark energy are at least vaguely testable.

Given Black holes have been "seen" multiple ways lensing , gravity , lack of light -

All quite amazing - must be hard to measure huge lightyear swathes of hydrogen and helium - prestar formation

with more observation devices coming on planet and off - maybe we will have an answer in next 50 years = or maybe never - just speculation

someone's back of envelope calc.

"Every second, you'll experience about 2.5 × 10 power of -16 kilograms of dark matter passing through your body. Every year, approximately 10-8 kilograms of dark matter move through you. And over the course of a human lifetime, a total of just under 1 milligram of dark matter has passed through you"

 

[Branch]

I knew it! We're in a bubble! Or someone's tear!

 

[mbk34]

If the current theories only manage to explain 15% of what's out there, and you need to invent dark matter to explain all the rest, then the base theories are wrong somewhere. I suspect dark matter will go the way of Victorian Luminiferous Ether.

 

[kiwigraeme]

If the current theories only manage to explain 15% of what's out there, and you need to invent dark matter to explain all the rest, then the base theories are wrong somewhere. I suspect dark matter will go the way of Victorian Luminiferous Ether.

Not sure this is applicable to dark matter - as seems real enough to map - though Dark Energy may be explained away with new standard models .

Are constants and forces the same , with respect to time and distance etc ?
"Clear ether, spacehound!" ( The Lensman series I read as a kid )

Empty Space is seething with energy apparently

 

[mbk34]

Not sure this is applicable to dark matter - as seems real enough to map - though Dark Energy may be explained away with new standard models .

Are constants and forces the same , with respect to time and distance etc ?
"Clear ether, spacehound!" ( The Lensman series I read as a kid )

Empty Space is seething with energy apparently

My knowledge of physics isn't good enough to argue either way but my gut instinct says both dark energy and matter are wrong. I guess time will tell. One of the things I look forward to with AI is it working it's way through science and pointing out issues or perhaps coming up with new theories but I guess that's a few years out.

PS I also remember reading the Lensman series (and every other sci-fi book) in my local library..

 

[Antias]

My knowledge of physics isn't good enough to argue either way but my gut instinct says both dark energy and matter are wrong. I guess time will tell. One of the things I look forward to with AI is it working it's way through science and pointing out issues or perhaps coming up with new theories but I guess that's a few years out.

PS I also remember reading the Lensman series (and every other sci-fi book) in my local library..

Gosh that EE Doc Smith Lensmen Series is still a favourite of my childhood...

 

[Mr Majestyk]

The average temperature in space is about 2 Kelvin (average means that there are regions below 2 Kelvin and regions above 2 Kelvin), by definition when a gas e.g. boson gas is at this low temperature near absolute zero then it goes into the state of matter known as BEC (Boze Einstein Condensate). As you can read here ( https://physics.aps.org/story/v2/st22 ) hydrogen atoms can form BEC. So it's like saying that when the temperature reaches 0 degrees Celsius water will have some problem becoming ice, it’s not true. On earth where the ambient temperature is well above 0 Kelvin it is difficult to form BEC, they usually take a few atoms, first cool them with nitrogen or helium, then use lasers (Raman cooling) or magnetic fields to immobilize them and in a new more sophisticated method recently they are using lasers away from the natural eigenfrequency of the atoms for greater efficiency. Generally on earth it is difficult, but when the ambient temperature is close to 0 Kelvin as it is in space then it is not difficult it happens naturally. The strange properties of these masses in BEC state may be able to solve the other mystery of Dark Energy with negative pressure accelerating the expansion of the univ

You are sounding like you know what dark matter actually is, when we don't have a clue. Why is it a boson, which typical are mediators of force? DM IMO is the 21st century equivalent of the ether, it's a sop to protect the standard model and orthodox cosmological models, as we have no idea what is actually going on. A regular BCE like you describe would have huge influence on light propagation alone and have observable consequences.