How the Universe Is Held Together by Invisible Galactic Glue—and Why We Wouldn’t Exist Without It
The unseen force shaping galaxies
Dark matter does not interact with visible light or other electromagnetic forces, so it cannot be detected through ordinary light-based measurements. Yet its gravity appears to influence regular matter and may help hold galaxies together.
Scientists have proposed many explanations for dark matter, often involving high-energy physics and particles that could someday be sought in colliders. Its identity remains unknown.
A model rooted in superconductivity
Liang and Caldwell of Dartmouth College describe a hypothetical way for dark matter to fill the young universe, when it was only seconds old. Their model draws on superconductivity, in which electricity flows without resistance.
In superconducting materials cooled close to absolute zero, electrons bind together into a new state of matter. Superconductors are used to produce large currents for technologies including MRI machines and maglev trains.
Mass could change the outcome
The model points to a possible complication: if dark matter particles begin with even a small amount of mass, they may not all bind into pairs. Most could instead remain in the background and soak up spacetime.
The researchers suggest this behavior might help account for dark energy, the mysterious ingredient associated with the universe’s accelerated expansion. The article presents this as a possible explanation, not an established result.
A proposal with clear uncertainty
The model is probably wrong, the article acknowledges, and dark matter’s nature remains unresolved. Still, exploring ideas from different areas of physics may help researchers address a puzzle spanning the universe.
The proposal reflects an effort to look beyond familiar high-energy physics. It applies concepts from condensed matter physics to a question about the cosmos.
Key points
- Dark matter’s gravity appears to affect regular matter, although dark matter does not interact with light.
- Guanming Liang and Robert Caldwell propose a model drawing on superconductivity.
- The model suggests a small particle mass could leave most dark matter unpaired.
- The idea might connect dark matter behavior with dark energy, but it remains speculative.