Imagine a particle that’s unseen but exists everywhere. It does not absorb, reflect, or emit light. Scientists and researchers only know of its existence due to its gravitational pull on objects and its ability to bend light. In addition, it makes up a significant amount of the universe, and learning more about its properties could allow scientists to gain a better understanding of the universe. This matter is known as dark matter.
“If we can figure out the properties of dark matter, we learn what our galaxy is made of,” said Joshua Ruderman, an associate professor of physics at New York University. “It would be transformative.”
To explore and gain a better understanding of dark matter, the researchers apart of the European Organization for Nuclear Research, CERN are using the Large Hadron Collider or the world’s largest particle accelerator. Engineers have been upgrading the machine for the past three years. It is located around 328 feet underground near the city of Geneva and its circumference spans nearly 17 miles. It uses superconducting magnets that are around -465 degrees Fahrenheit (which is colder than outer space) and it uses these magnets to send two particle beams at each other at near light speed to replicate an environment resembling the Big Bang. Advanced sensors and monitors analyze the results. The collider requires 13.6 trillion volts so experiments are carefully conducted but scientists can perform more complicated experiments. Luckily, this particle accelerator was able to produce results. Ten years ago, it was able to prove the existence of the Higgs boson particle, finding a key to understanding the creation of the universe. The Higgs boson particle earned the nickname the “God particle” because it proved the theory that the Higgs Field, an invisible field of energy that gives particles mass, existed. This shows that theoretical things can be real and it showed the particle accelerator has much more to discover.
To find dark matter, scientists first have to have the machine make new particles before they can begin the experiment. Then, with the new particles, they test to see if it emits light. If it does, it is likely not dark matter. In addition, they check to see the particle’s decay rate. If it decays fast, then it is likely not dark matter since it theoretically has a life span of billions of years.
“This is hard,” Ruderman said, “and something that could take a whole lifetime of exploration.”
If the CERN researchers don’t make any discoveries in the next four years, they will make more upgrades and improvements to the machine. These upgrades will likely take an additional three years so the next round of data collection will begin in 2029.
Sources:
https://torontosun.com/news/world/the-machine-behind-the-god-particle-is-on-the-hunt-for-dark-matter
“If we can figure out the properties of dark matter, we learn what our galaxy is made of,” said Joshua Ruderman, an associate professor of physics at New York University. “It would be transformative.”
To explore and gain a better understanding of dark matter, the researchers apart of the European Organization for Nuclear Research, CERN are using the Large Hadron Collider or the world’s largest particle accelerator. Engineers have been upgrading the machine for the past three years. It is located around 328 feet underground near the city of Geneva and its circumference spans nearly 17 miles. It uses superconducting magnets that are around -465 degrees Fahrenheit (which is colder than outer space) and it uses these magnets to send two particle beams at each other at near light speed to replicate an environment resembling the Big Bang. Advanced sensors and monitors analyze the results. The collider requires 13.6 trillion volts so experiments are carefully conducted but scientists can perform more complicated experiments. Luckily, this particle accelerator was able to produce results. Ten years ago, it was able to prove the existence of the Higgs boson particle, finding a key to understanding the creation of the universe. The Higgs boson particle earned the nickname the “God particle” because it proved the theory that the Higgs Field, an invisible field of energy that gives particles mass, existed. This shows that theoretical things can be real and it showed the particle accelerator has much more to discover.
To find dark matter, scientists first have to have the machine make new particles before they can begin the experiment. Then, with the new particles, they test to see if it emits light. If it does, it is likely not dark matter. In addition, they check to see the particle’s decay rate. If it decays fast, then it is likely not dark matter since it theoretically has a life span of billions of years.
“This is hard,” Ruderman said, “and something that could take a whole lifetime of exploration.”
If the CERN researchers don’t make any discoveries in the next four years, they will make more upgrades and improvements to the machine. These upgrades will likely take an additional three years so the next round of data collection will begin in 2029.
Sources:
https://torontosun.com/news/world/the-machine-behind-the-god-particle-is-on-the-hunt-for-dark-matter
