Scientists may be coming closer to confirming the existence of dark matter — the invisible stuff thought to make up more than a quarter of the cosmos — as they study a diffuse glow of gamma rays near the center of our galaxy.
Everything visible in the universe is made of ordinary matter — from stars and planets to people and hubcaps and tacos. Ordinary matter can be seen in wavelengths from the infrared to visible light and gamma rays, but comprises only about 5% of the universe. Dark matter, which does not absorb, reflect or emit any light, seems to comprise about 27% of the universe, with another mysterious component called dark energy accounting for the remaining roughly 68%.
Scientists are confident that dark matter exists because of its gravitational effects on a grand scale in the universe. Because of its very nature, its existence has been hard to prove. But research into an excess of gamma rays observed and mapped by the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope across a vast expanse near the heart of the Milky Way offers promise for providing long-sought confirmation.
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