Dark Matter

How do we study something we can’t see?

Dark matter makes up 85% of the universe, yet it remains invisible, emitting no light or energy. Its gravitational effects shape galaxies and hold the cosmos together, but its physical nature is one of the greatest puzzles in modern physics.
 
On April 14th, Science Café Nijmegen will delve into the search for dark matter. Scientists have proposed various candidates for dark matter, from Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) to axions, hypothetical particles so light they could emerge from neutron stars. However, none have yet been detected. Could dark matter even be an illusion, a sign that our understanding of gravity is incomplete? This is a question that could reshape our understanding of the cosmos and our place within it.
 
During the upcoming edition of the Science Café, these possibilities will be expounded on by a panel of experts at the forefront of dark matter research. To set the stage, Bas Zoutendijk (LEI) will guide you through the various cosmological observations that show how dark matter shapes the structure of the universe. After that, Flavia de Almeida Dias (UvA, CERN), who searches for clues of dark matter in the behavior of fundamental particles with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider, will explore the most promising dark matter candidates. Finally, Niels Martens (UU) will review alternative theories of gravity that avoid dark matter. Together, they offer a multifaceted perspective on one of science’s greatest mysteries. Sound artist Oliv Oliv will weave his warm, modular, spacey soundscapes into the evening, setting the tone for the night!