The Nature of Dark Matter

Dark matter is a predominant yet elusive component of the universe, constituting about 80% of its mass while remaining invisible and intangible. Unlike ordinary matter, dark matter does not emit light or energy, which makes it difficult to detect directly; it only interacts gravitationally with the visible matter we observe. Observations of galaxy rotations reveal that the total visible matter cannot account for the gravitational forces holding galaxies together, leading to the inference of dark matter's existence. Extensive studies have calculated that galaxies must contain several times more mass than what is visible, underscoring the need for a new understanding of the universe’s composition.