Unveiling the universe: Hidden matter reshapes cosmic theories
Scientists analyzed data from seven million galaxies and discovered a missing piece of the cosmic puzzle. Thanks to this research, they identified the missing matter in the universe— a discovery that may change our understanding of the mechanisms governing the cosmos. What are the implications for cosmological problems, wonders Simone Ferraro from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
A team of 75 scientists discovered the missing matter in the universe. To find this missing element, they analyzed data from over seven million galaxies collected by the DESI in Arizona. According to the Popular Mechanics portal, the research led to the discovery of scattered clouds of ionized hydrogen, which turned out to be the lost matter in the structure of the cosmos.
A new look at black hole activity
The research showed that the centres of black holes are more active than previously thought. As a result, the ionized gas dispersed around galaxies extends further than assumed. This discovery suggests that supermassive black holes may be active in various phases of their life cycle.
The research team used data from the cosmic microwave background (CMB) to understand how gas affects the scattering of radiation. The Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect helped them identify where the gas is located. This phenomenon involves a subtle change in microwave background radiation, or relic radiation from the Big Bang, as it passes through clusters of hot matter such as galaxy clusters.
What impact does this discovery have on current knowledge?
The research results significantly impact current knowledge and are important for models of galaxy formation and evolution. Current theories may not have considered the effect of gas ejected by black holes, which could have led to incorrect conclusions about dark matter and the universe's structure.
Mysterious dark matter constitutes 85% of the matter in the universe, and scientists have been unable to locate 15% of it. Researchers emphasize that understanding the distribution of gas is key to solving cosmological problems and unraveling the mysteries of the cosmos.
