Dark matter map reveals hidden bridges between galaxies

ScienceDaily

A new map of dark matter in the local universe reveals several previously undiscovered filamentary structures connecting galaxies. The map, developed using machine learning, could enable studies about the nature of dark matter as well as about the history and future of our local universe.

A new map of dark matter in the local universe reveals several previously undiscovered filamentary structures connecting galaxies. The map, developed using machine learning by an international team including a Penn State astrophysicist, could enable studies about the nature of dark matter as well as about the history and future of our local universe.


For example, it has been suggested that the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies may be slowly moving toward each other, but whether they may collide in many billions of years remains unclear. Studying the dark matter filaments connecting the two galaxies could provide important insights into their future.


“Because dark matter dominates the dynamics of the universe, it basically determines our fate," said Jeong. "So we can ask a computer to evolve the map for billions of years to see what will happen in the local universe. And we can evolve the model back in time to understand the history of our cosmic neighborhood."

I have no idea what this could lead to. It seems that the elusive “dark matter” connects not only our internal galaxy but connects to other galaxies.

Dark matter is an elusive substance that makes up 80% of the universe. It also provides the skeleton for what cosmologists call the cosmic web, the large-scale structure of the universe

If these “pathways” through the universe connect everything, what does that imply? I am at a complete loss here. Did the galaxies “drag” these paths with them as they broke apart at some point in the galactic past? Are they useful to us in the future?

Really cool stuff.

What is matter?
Nevermind.
What is mind?
No Matter.

a reply to: Homefree
Good one. Had not ever heard that one before.

a reply to: Havamal

Detailed Proof of Dark Matter/Dark Energy Released, But Something Is Odd...

You might remember the Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico, the big dish that suffered mysterious damage and shortly thereafter a mysterious demise.

Well, a team of scientists with funding for R&D are thinking about building one on the far side of the Moon, using robots and a large crater:

A radio telescope on the moon’s far side would have many advantages over a similar instrument built on Earth. While large radio telescopes do exist on Earth (the biggest one, currently, is FAST in China), our ionosphere blocks Earth-bound radio telescopes from seeing wavelengths longer than 33 feet (10 meters). The moon’s lack of an atmosphere will allow the longer radio wavelengths to reach a telescope built on the moon. And the far side of the moon is an excellent site for a radio telescope. That’s because the moon itself will block the radio chatter emitted from Earth. These advantages will open up a range of wavelengths that astronomers have not been able to explore.

Here's where it gets interesting:

Lunar Crater Radio Telescope team member Joseph Lazio of JPL said:

While there were no stars, there was ample hydrogen during the universe’s Dark Ages, hydrogen that would eventually serve as the raw material for the first stars. With a sufficiently large radio telescope off Earth, we could track the processes that would lead to the formation of the first stars, maybe even find clues to the nature of dark matter.

At long last, a radio telescope on the moon’s far side

For better perspective on speculative military initiatives and weapons give Dr. Farrell's post on A NEW ARECIBO… ON THE MOON a read, especially the bottom two paragraphs.

a reply to: EndtheMadnessNow
Thanks for the dark matter update.

The structure of a radio telescope on the moon would not be that hard to build, as the gravity is so low. I have a few fine wire antennas to pick up radio emissions on my roof that are very tiny copper wires, held on my what are essentially office stables. I use them with some SDR (software defined radio) hardware (very cheap - less than $50 bucks) that lets me scan pretty much the entire radio spectrum with free software on my PC.Kind of a geeky hobby, but it gets you into all sorts of spectrum analysis without spending a lot of money. I may do a thread on it.

Is anyone here a follower of "Suspicious Observers"?

I like the theory that dark matter is nothing more than the magnetic interaction between ambient dust and plasma that exists everywhere in our universe.

a reply to: joejack1949

Dark matter's always seemed like one of those things where humanity just created something to fill in the blanks of our equations. Most times in history when we do that we're wrong.

originally posted by: joejack1949
Is anyone here a follower of "Suspicious Observers"?

I like the theory that dark matter is nothing more than the magnetic interaction between ambient dust and plasma that exists everywhere in our universe.

I had a dog and his name was Bingo.

I wonder if using an electro-magnetic telescope would pick up electro-magnetic activity rather then dark matter.

Dark matter.

By its definition is an unobservable accounting tool, used by mathematics to explain discrepancies.

As pointed out by Dug. Well spotted Dug.

a reply to: EndtheMadnessNow

So they are turning the Moon into the Death Star?

a reply to: Dalamax

yeah....i may be missing something. Im no physicist. But from my understanding, "dark matter" is only perceived via a hole in calculations. Since they believe the calculations are correct, they assume there is a lot of matter that is unobserved.

Yet this article seems to intimate that they are observing it.

When dark matter was first floated, the first thought i had related to the Thunderbolts of the Gods website. This makes me think of it all over again....

Asking any physicist: can you explain why its dark matter and not "dark energy" int he form of plasmas that are barely above the background temp?

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
a reply to: Dalamax

But from my understanding, "dark matter" is only perceived via a hole in calculations. Since they believe the calculations are correct, they assume there is a lot of matter that is unobserved.

Dark matter was invented to explain anomalies in gravitational theory. Some galaxies rotate faster than our theory of gravitation can explain, so scientists surmised that there must be invisible mass everywhere to explain why galaxies aren't ripped apart by their own rotation.

I'm more of an applied scientist, so here's a link to a real science lady explaining the difference between dark matter and modified gravity:

www.youtube.com...

That’s my understanding as well BFFT and you raise a question I’d be interested in reading the answer to.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

a reply to: Havamal

You mean like bhirkland currents?

a reply to: joejack1949

Dark matter was invented to explain anomalies in gravitational theory.

It was invented to explain why stars on the outer arm of spiral galaxies travel just as fast as those near the centre. You would expect them to travel slower. This is only possible if there is extra gravity. Since the available matter can't provide the extra gravity, it's postulated that it comes from matter that we can't see. But dark matter isn't just an invention, it has been demonstrated to exist through computer simulations by people like Carlos Frenk and by gravitational lensing.

a reply to: Havamal

Dark matter is such a bogus theory

originally posted by: HONROC
a reply to: Havamal

Dark matter is such a bogus theory

By all means, please provide an alternative with evidence or a method by which your alternative could be falsified and repeatedly tested by others?

If you've got a legitimate dark matter theory, with an experiment to test your theory ready to go, you're one internet forum reply away from a Nobel Prize, pretty much literally.

a reply to: EndtheMadnessNow

That's a really cool idea.

I hope they can pull it off.

originally posted by: HONROC
a reply to: Havamal

Dark matter is such a bogus theory

You know it's called dark because we don't know what it is yet, right?

a reply to: joejack1949

Right. But E=mc2. So at some point, massive quantities of energy should exert their own influence.

I know im oversimplifying this....as im a moron. I just want to know how i am, and what the reality is. So i can be less of a moron.

a reply to: CJCrawley

Energy can be contained in VERY thin clouds of various elements, or even subatomic particles (such a birkland current). Why can this invisible matter not be thin and whispy plasmas?