Direct Evidence of Dark Matter

U.S. university team has found what is being called direct evidence of dark matter. This was done using the Hubble Space Telescope, the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope, and the Magellan optical Telescope.

The hot gas in this collision was slowed by a drag force similar to air resistance, the astronomer found. In contrast, the dark matter was not slowed by the impact, because it does not interact directly with itself or the gas except through gravity.

This produced the separation of the dark and normal matter seen in the data. If hot gas was the most massive component in the clusters as proposed by alternative gravity theories, such a separation would not have been seen. Instead, dark matter is required.

english.people.com.cn...

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Mod Edit - 'ex' tags

[edit on 22-8-2006 by masqua]

What are the implications of this discovery? What can dark matter do for the good of mankind? Just asking because I have no idea what we can do with dark matter.

Originally posted by netobrev
What are the implications of this discovery? What can dark matter do for the good of mankind? Just asking because I have no idea what we can do with dark matter.

Good and straight forward question Netobrev.
As to the good of man kind I dont see anything like that comeing from dark matter. What this is for is the understanding of the universe. Just pure science, or pure astro phisics if you prefer.
Or if you like it better it might help understand the origens of the universe and thus possibly what might bring and end to it.
So knowing how the universe might end could benefit man kind you know..

If someone could clarify something for me.

I know that we've been aware of the possability of dark matter for quite a while. One of our theories on what it was comprised of are WIMPs. Because WIMPs (weakly interacting Massive Particles ) must be a product of supersymmetry, does this discovery get us closer to proving String theory?

If so, I can just see the discoveries rolling off the line

There is also another experiment about to take place where some Scientists will be shooting a Free electron Laser through a Vacuum with a Magnetic field, with a wall seperating another vacuum and another magnetic field. The Idea is that the Magnetic Field converts a portion of the laser to Dark Matter particles, the rest of the laser gets stopped by the wall, and a portion of the converted particles gets transformed back into regular particles when it hits the second magnetic field, after it passes through the wall unobstructed. Ingenius and elegant experiment!

www.abovetopsecret.com...

As for how it could be usefull, if we refine it to the point where we cac convert these particles at will, it could become a usefull interference-less communications tool.

BTW, How fast are Dark Matter particles supposed to travel?

[edit on 22-8-2006 by sardion2000]

Originally posted by Rasobasi420
If someone could clarify something for me.

I know that we've been aware of the possability of dark matter for quite a while. One of our theories on what it was comprised of are WIMPs. Because WIMPs (weakly interacting Massive Particles ) must be a product of supersymmetry, does this discovery get us closer to proving String theory?

Rasobasi,
Thanks for your input. I dont realy want to make a guess on weather or not this will come any closer to practiley proveing string theory. I am aware of string theory but I am no where close to understanding it. I think there are a few people around hear who could do a much better job at that for you.

Originally posted by RedGolem

Originally posted by Rasobasi420
If someone could clarify something for me.

I know that we've been aware of the possability of dark matter for quite a while. One of our theories on what it was comprised of are WIMPs. Because WIMPs (weakly interacting Massive Particles ) must be a product of supersymmetry, does this discovery get us closer to proving String theory?

Rasobasi,
Thanks for your input. I dont realy want to make a guess on weather or not this will come any closer to practiley proveing string theory. I am aware of string theory but I am no where close to understanding it. I think there are a few people around hear who could do a much better job at that for you.

Here is an article on supersymmitry en.wikipedia.org...

Originally posted by sardion2000
Here is an article on supersymmitry en.wikipedia.org...

Thanks for the link Sardion. When I think I will soak up a liite more of it I will go back and read more of it