is once again in the news. This afternoon on Radio 4's PM programme a scientist said they have now measured the temperature of Dark Matter and found it warm. I missed the bit when he said what is was warm compared to.
Dark Matter it seems is what stops us flying off. Not us off planets so much as planets off stars, stars off galaxies and galaxies off, well, just off. Being dark it can't be seen but being matter it's definitely there. How do they know? Apparently galaxies spin really fast, indeed so fast that if our universe was the Tuesday wash we'd all now be lying in next door's front garden. However, despite a universal spin cycle that only runs on max we nevertheless cling together. Today's radio scientist said Dark Matter can be likened to conker string, spin the conker and though a centrifugal force propels it outwards the string stops it flying off. I'm comforted by this as I've never liked the idea we might be prone to flying off.
On a note of caution this hidden matter thing is further complicated by a larger hidden energy thing, so it may turn out we're the flying off types anyway.
In as much as scientists struggle to put their finger on Dark Matter then so they also struggle to obtain proof of Dark Energy, although only a year ago I suggested a place where they might take that first peek.
I only hope it's all solved before the neighbours notice what's coming their way and start to complain.
3 comments:
why DARK matter, anyway? Why does no one compare it to LIGHT matter?
I think scientists refer to it not as light matter because it's both dark and heavy. At least I assume it's heavy, but hey, what do I know...
but how can they weigh something they cannot see? silly twits. I'm sure they'll say something about attraction between planets and heavenly bodies speeding about.
I say it's elves pulling the strings and planting the clues. Elves are pulling the wool over their eyes. whatever that means.
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