dark matter
Universe's hidden bulk
Dark matter is material in the universe that doesn't emit or absorb light but exerts gravitational pull on visible matter.
Astronomers infer its existence from how galaxies rotate and cluster—there's far more gravity than visible stars can account for.
Dark matter makes up roughly a quarter of the universe's mass-energy, yet its composition remains unknown: Scientists are still searching for dark matter particles.
Complete system or domain
- astrophysicsPhysics of celestial bodies
- big bangLoud explosive noise
- galaxyGravitationally bound stellar mass
- cosmicPertaining to the universe
cosmologist · particle physics · supersymmetry · neutrino · halo · filament · redshift · quarks
Hard to find
- undetectableImpossible to notice
- invisibleCannot be seen
- hiddenKept out of sight
- WIMPTheoretical dark matter particle
collider · CERN · LHC · xenon · cryogenic · underground · annihilation · scattering
Quantity of matter
- gravitational lensingMass distorting light's path
- clustersGrouped collections
- curvatureDeviation from flatness
- space-timeFused dimensional framework
general relativity · Newton · orbit · dynamics · perturbation · anomaly
Something hard to fathom
- unknownNot yet discovered
- unseenNot perceived visually
- imperceptibleCannot be sensed
- unobservableCannot be detected
shadowy · puzzling · theoretical · hypothetical · speculative · unexplained · searching · candidate
Existing in abundance
- pervasivePresent throughout, inescapable
- ubiquitousPresent in all places
- dominantHaving superior influence
- universalAffecting all equally
omnipresent · distributed · comprising · percentage · composition
universe
Complete system or domain
- astrophysicsPhysics of celestial bodies
- big bangLoud explosive noise
- galaxyGravitationally bound stellar mass
cosmic · cosmologist · particle physics · supersymmetry · neutrino · halo · filament · redshift · quarks · leptons
elusive
Hard to find
- undetectableImpossible to notice
- invisibleCannot be seen
- hiddenKept out of sight
WIMP · collider · CERN · LHC · xenon · cryogenic · underground · annihilation · scattering · particle accelerator
mass
Quantity of matter
- gravitational lensingMass distorting light's path
- clustersGrouped collections
- curvatureDeviation from flatness
space-time · general relativity · Newton · orbit · dynamics · perturbation · anomaly
enigma
Something hard to fathom
- unknownNot yet discovered
- unseenNot perceived visually
- imperceptibleCannot be sensed
unobservable · shadowy · puzzling · theoretical · hypothetical · speculative · unexplained · searching · candidate · evidence
plentiful
Existing in abundance
- pervasivePresent throughout, inescapable
- ubiquitousPresent in all places
- dominantHaving superior influence
universal · omnipresent · distributed · comprising · percentage · composition
- astrophysicsblack hole, neutron star, supernova, black holes, neutron stars
- exotic mattersuperfluid, superfluidity
- cosmosuniverse, galaxies, galaxy, stars, star
- matteratoms, molecules, atom, molecule, element
- outer spacesun, moon, planet, star system, solar system
- sciencebiology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, geology
dark matterlight
Visible electromagnetic radiation
stars · galaxies · electromagnetic radiation · starlight · plasma
dark, matter, darkness, matters, mattered, mattering, antimatter, dark energy