Exploring the Dark Side of the Universe

Dark matter and dark energy make up 95% of the universe and are still poorly understood. Dark matter, which makes up about 25% of the universe's mass, is detected indirectly through its gravitational effects. It was first hypothesized in the late 1800s and confirmed in the 1960s. Dark energy, on the other hand, makes up about 70% of the universe and is responsible for the accelerated expansion of the universe. Despite their mysterious nature, astronomers have developed techniques like gravitational lensing to indirectly observe and measure dark matter and dark energy.