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Dark matter is apparently ‘darker’ than we thought
WaPo ^ | Rachel Feltman

Posted on 03/27/2015 8:14:51 PM PDT by BenLurkin

A new study published Thursday in Science suggests that dark matter might be able to zip through the universe without slowing or dragging because particles of it don't even interact with each other.

Based on what we can observe about the universe, galaxies should be tearing themselves apart. That's where so-called dark matter comes in: It's a term for the as-of-yet unobserved matter that must be bulking up cosmos, giving galaxies the gravity they need to spin at the rates they do without falling to pieces. But even though we haven't caught dark matter (so named because it doesn't interact with light the way normal matter does -- noT absorbing or reflecting it -- though it does bend light with a weird lensing effect) in a straightforward observation, scientists can learn ab0ut it based on the effects it has on more typical, observable forms of matter.

...

"If you bang your head against the wall, the electrostatic force between the molecules in your head and the ones in the wall cause a collision. This is what dark matter doesn't seem to feel," ...

Tom Kitching poo-poo'ed the "darkness" of dark matter:

Sometimes I think dark matter is a terrible name. It was originally coined because the phenomenon does not emit or absorb light. But light is everywhere in the dark matter we have observed, passing within it and around it. Indeed, the lensing effect that we employed in our study uses the light from distant galaxies that has passed through dark matter.

So perhaps "transparent matter" or "clear matter" are better names. My favourite alternative is "materia incognita" (the unknown material). Maps used to be labelled "terra incognita" in areas that were unknown, and in a similar way we could be explicit about the unknown nature of this phenomenon.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Science
KEYWORDS: darkenergy; darkmatter; speedofdark; stringtheory
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1 posted on 03/27/2015 8:14:51 PM PDT by BenLurkin
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To: BenLurkin

I read somewhere...that Elon Musk claims that he will be using dark matter to fuel his next generation Teslas


2 posted on 03/27/2015 8:19:34 PM PDT by MeshugeMikey ("Never, Never, Never, Give Up," Winston Churchill ><>)
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To: BenLurkin
So perhaps "transparent matter" or "clear matter"

Or better yet "matter that doesn't exist".

3 posted on 03/27/2015 8:19:47 PM PDT by doc1019 (Blue lives matter)
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To: BenLurkin

So either the universe is full of dark matter that no one can detect or their theories are a load of crap.


4 posted on 03/27/2015 8:19:54 PM PDT by Seruzawa (All those memories will be lost,in time, like tears in rain.)
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To: BenLurkin

5 posted on 03/27/2015 8:20:44 PM PDT by Impy (They pull a knife, you pull a gun. That's the CHICAGO WAY, and that's how you beat the rats!)
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To: BenLurkin

That’s racciss!


6 posted on 03/27/2015 8:21:03 PM PDT by RandallFlagg (Hobo: "I think you're gonna need a lot of dump trucks.")
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To: BenLurkin

Science B raciss.....


7 posted on 03/27/2015 8:23:17 PM PDT by Paladin2
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To: MeshugeMikey

Coming up shortly....crap farms!


8 posted on 03/27/2015 8:24:25 PM PDT by __rvx86 (¡SI SE PUEDE! (Cruz 2016!))
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To: RandallFlagg

Harf, Harf, Harf....


9 posted on 03/27/2015 8:25:30 PM PDT by Paladin2
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To: BenLurkin

10 posted on 03/27/2015 8:25:59 PM PDT by xp38
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To: BenLurkin

African-America matter


11 posted on 03/27/2015 8:26:19 PM PDT by GeronL
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To: BenLurkin
So, you say

NSFW

12 posted on 03/27/2015 8:26:57 PM PDT by Daffynition ("We Are Not Descended From Fearful Men")
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To: Daffynition; BillyBoy; fieldmarshaldj; GOPsterinMA; NFHale; sickoflibs; stephenjohnbanker; ...

Those cupcakes, OMG. That baker must be a weird dude.


13 posted on 03/27/2015 8:30:56 PM PDT by Impy (They pull a knife, you pull a gun. That's the CHICAGO WAY, and that's how you beat the rats!)
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To: __rvx86

Im surprised obie hasnt formed a task force on this issue..yet


14 posted on 03/27/2015 8:33:38 PM PDT by MeshugeMikey ("Never, Never, Never, Give Up," Winston Churchill ><>)
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To: BenLurkin

My dark matter is more exotic than your dark matter.


15 posted on 03/27/2015 8:33:49 PM PDT by Redcitizen
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To: Seruzawa
So either the universe is full of dark matter that no one can detect or their theories are a load of crap.

In a related story, Macy's is having a clearance sale of "Dark Matter" in their Bargain Basement, right next to the rack marked "The Emperor's New Clothes".

16 posted on 03/27/2015 8:33:59 PM PDT by BwanaNdege
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To: Impy

The home of the Les Folies Bergère. What can I say?

Reparations lawsuits in 3....2....


17 posted on 03/27/2015 8:34:21 PM PDT by Daffynition ("We Are Not Descended From Fearful Men")
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To: Seruzawa

Well, when you put it that way.....


18 posted on 03/27/2015 8:37:04 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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To: Daffynition

I’m guessing that bakery would have no problem at all serving up an appropriately disgusting “gay” wedding cake.


19 posted on 03/27/2015 8:38:02 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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To: doc1019

It doesn’t exist — it just bends light.


20 posted on 03/27/2015 8:38:56 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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