'Most precise' map of Dark Matter in the entire universe derived by scientists | Watch

In a groundbreaking discovery, astronomers have now created the ‘most precise’ map of all the universe’s dark matter to date. What is being celebrated as remarkable feet for scientists to understand the universe, Dark Energy Survey (DES) collaboration on May 27 published the results that show the most comprehensive map of the distribution of the so-called dark matter. Furthermore, these results are a surprise because they reveal that the distribution of dark matter in the universe is slightly smoother and more spread out than the current best theories had suggested. Dark Matter is an invisible substance that permeates the universe and accounts nearly for 80% of the matter in space. 

The official release stated, “New results from the Dark Energy Survey use the largest-ever sample of galaxies over an enormous piece of the sky to produce the most precise measurements of the universe’s composition and growth to date. Scientists measured that the way matter is distributed throughout the universe is consistent with predictions in the standard cosmological model, the best current model of the universe.”

‘Maybe Einstein was wrong’

In conversation with BBC News, Dr Niall Jeffrey of École Normale Supérieure, in Paris, who put the detailed map together, said that the results posed a “real problem” for physics. While explaining, he said that “If this disparity is true then maybe Einstein was wrong.” however, Jeffrey noted that while an individual might think that it’s a “bad thing,” instead, it is “extremely exciting” for a physicist. He added, “ It means that we can find out something new about the way the Universe really is.”

The team was able to derive the detail of the dark matter in the universe after using the Victor M Blanco telescope in Chile and analysing 100 million galaxies. Notably, the map shows how dark matter sprawls across the humungous universe, most of which, still remains unknown. These black areas are vast regions of ‘nothingness’ and are called voids. Even laws of physics might differ for the dark spots in the universe.

Prior to DES publishing its remarkable results, US astrophysicists have derived one of the most accurate measurements of the total amount of matter in the universe. Published in the Astrophysical Journal, the researchers have said that the matter accounts for 31.5 per cent and the remaining 68.5 per cent is dark energy. Give or take 1.3 per cent, the energy is a mysterious force that is responsible for the accelerated expansion of the universe.

The dark energy was reportedly first inferred by the observations of distant supernovae in the late 1990s. Mohamed Abdullah, a University of California, Riverside astrophysicist and the paper's lead author has reportedly said that all the matter in the observable universe amounts to 66 billion trillion times the mass of the Sun. 

At least 80 per cent of this matter is called dark matter because of its unknown nature. However, as per reports, it could have some undiscovered subatomic particle.  The US astrophysicists’ measurements of the universe were in line with the previously derived values by other teams using varying cosmological techniques. 

IMAGE: Reidar Hahn/Fermilab