Researchers believe they may be on the verge of detecting dark matter for the first time, following a two-year study involving a sensitive detector in an underground laboratory in the United States. Scientists from the University of Bristol were part of the effort to measure the invisible substance, which is thought to comprise over 85% of the universe's mass.
During the experiment, the detector observed a collision between an atom and a mystery particle. Lead researcher physicist Dr. Sam Eriksen described the event as potentially "the first step in understanding dark matter as a particle." However, he also cautioned that further research is needed, as the particle might not ultimately be related to dark matter. "Following a huge amount of scientific effort, this is incredibly exciting," Dr. Eriksen, a senior research associate at the University of Bristol, stated.
While the existence of dark matter has long been inferred by scientists due to its gravitational effects and the fact that it does not reflect light, it has remained directly undetected for nearly a century. The current findings, though promising, have not yet been verified by independent researchers.