Scientists investigating a mysterious gamma-ray glow near the center of the Milky Way may have found one of the strongest hints yet about the elusive dark matter—the invisible substance believed to make up nearly 27% of the universe.
For decades, dark matter has puzzled astrophysicists. Unlike ordinary matter, which constitutes only 5% of the universe and interacts with light, dark matter does not emit, absorb, or reflect any form of electromagnetic radiation. Its presence is inferred solely through its gravitational pull, influencing the motion of galaxies and cosmic structures. Despite numerous efforts, no direct detection of dark matter has ever been confirmed.
Now, a new study published in Physical Review Letters has reignited hope. Researchers analyzed high-energy gamma rays detected by NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, which observed a bright, unexplained glow emanating from a region about 7,000 light-years across near the galactic core—roughly 26,000 light-years away from Earth.
The findings suggest that this glow could stem from two potential sources:
- Colliding dark matter particles annihilating each other and releasing gamma rays.
- Millisecond pulsars—ultra-fast spinning neutron stars that are already known to emit gamma radiation.
Computer simulations conducted during the research showed that both scenarios fit the data equally well, leaving the cosmic mystery unsolved but offering new clues.
“We’ve increased the odds that dark matter has been indirectly detected,” said Joseph Silk, co-author of the study and a renowned cosmologist at Johns Hopkins University and Sorbonne University.
The study marks a step forward in narrowing down the possible explanations behind the Milky Way’s unexplained glow. Scientists believe that if the signal originates from dark matter interactions, it could represent the first indirect evidence of the mysterious substance that binds the cosmos together.
To further test this hypothesis, researchers are eagerly awaiting the completion of the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) in Chile, expected to become operational by 2026. This next-generation observatory will have the sensitivity and precision needed to distinguish between dark matter signals and emissions from pulsars.
Until then, the enigmatic gamma-ray glow remains one of astrophysics’ most compelling mysteries—offering a faint but hopeful light in the quest to understand the invisible fabric of our universe.
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