Universal Accord {Cosmology}

Symmetry Magazine ^ | March 2007 | Rachel Courtland

[brivette]

OK, anyone know what dark matter is?

[RightWhale]

Global climate is much more complicated.

[Las Vegas Dave]

Ping.

[Focault's Pendulum]

OK, anyone know what dark matter is?

42

[Godzilla]

Was it this goop?

[brivette]

You are correct, sir.

[adorno]

Take one part unidentified goop. Add three parts mysterious energy. Throw in a dash of ordinary atoms. Mix. Compress. Explode. Let expand for 13.7 billion years.

That theory is called "GIGO" and it's been around forever.

[TXnMA]

PING! Perhaps this discussion of cosmology will prove to be a bit more mature...

[Sherman Logan]

I do! I do!

It’s what comes out the other end of a black hole.

[SteveMcKing]

I think the idea is that there is lots of matter (probably hydrogen) that 1- is not illuminated by sunlight, and 2- does not radiate its own detectable energy.

The only way we know “it must be there” is because of its gravity.

[BlazingArizona]

Take one part unidentified goop. Add three parts mysterious energy. Throw in a dash of ordinary atoms. Mix. Compress. Explode. Let expand for 13.7 billion years.

Cosmologists have stumbled on my little sister's recipe for meat loaf?

[betty boop]

OK, anyone know what dark matter is?

I gather "dark matter" is pretty mysterious, even to astrophysicists. Dark matter emits no radiation but can be detected by its gravitational effect on stars and such. Dark matter is inferred from the rotation of galaxies. It is said to make up some 25 percent of the critical density of the universe.

Even more perplexing to me is dark energy, which is said to make up some 70 percent of the critical density of the universe. Unlike dark matter (which seems to “clump”), dark energy is diffused throughout the universe. It has a negative pressure — a force acting in opposition to positive gravity. In other words, it has a force that accelerates the expansion of the universe.

Do the math: That leaves "ordinary" matter -- the stuff we know, or think we know -- at something like 5% of the critical density of the universe.

Is it any wonder these "light universe" theories are gaining ground?...

[D Rider]

The only problem with this theory is that the anti-gravity forces that this theory requires have never been observed.

[GregoryFul]

We cannot see, or detect, dark matter, at the present. But it has a gravitational influence on regular matter. I think it was proposed initially (as pervading all space) because star's (which we can see) rotational velocity about galaxies is proportional to the radius about the center, not the radius squared, as one would expect from the matter we can see, and estimate the mass of. It could be masses of neutrinos, or black holes, or massive neutral sub-atomic particles, I suppose.

[hosepipe]

Dark Energy/matter is a term for stuff "we" don't know about..

The stuff my human brain can concieve of and my physical body senses and can sense or recognize.. call it LIGHT energy/matter.. is stuff we can see and measure(touch).. in this Universe..

I prefer designated(Light) energy/matter and UNdesignated(Dark) energy/matter.. Would also be an answer for God and where the Universe came from.. If "God" can designate energy/matter.. and also UNdesignate/remodel it.. Makeing and UNmakeing matter(Light matter) might really be an easy thing to a Spirit/spirit with the proper abilities.. What appears to be "SPACE" might in reality be an vast ocean of UNdesignated energy/matter..

Ya think?.. Could make "heaven" and "hell" cool places.. with degrees of each..

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks LVD.

[curiosity]

Fascinating. It will take a couple readings for me to fully absorb that. Thanks for posting!

[tophat9000]

bump

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping! Indeed, it appears this article does not lend itself to humor so the discussion should be sedate.