Dark Matter & Dark Energy
Deciphering the 95% invisible cosmic fabric driving expansion and galactic clustering.
The 95% Invisible Cosmos
Cosmological measurements from the Cosmic Microwave Background (Planck), baryon acoustic oscillations, and Type Ia supernovae demonstrate that our universe is undergoing accelerated expansion driven by dark energy (quantified by the cosmological constant Lambda or evolving quintessence fields). Simultaneously, galaxy rotation curves and weak gravitational lensing demonstrate immense invisible dark matter halos, probed by underground xenon/argon detectors and wide-field space telescopes like Euclid and Roman.
Breakthrough Findings
DESI Year 1 Baryon Acoustic Oscillation Release
2024Spectroscopic survey of 6 million galaxies hinting at possible time-varying dark energy behavior at z > 0.8.
First Ultra-Deep Euclid Space Telescope Survey
2024Release of 3D cosmic shear maps imaging billions of galaxies to trace the dark matter skeleton.
LZ (LUX-ZEPLIN) Direct Detection Record Limits
2023Set the world's most sensitive constraints on WIMP-nucleon spin-independent cross sections down to 10⁻⁴⁸ cm².
Cosmological Probes & Methodologies
Measures statistical distortion of background galaxy shapes caused by foreground dark matter structures.
Uses liquid xenon time-projection chambers insulated in deep mines to detect rare subatomic recoils.
Uses acoustic sound horizon scales frozen into galaxy clustering as standard cosmological measuring rods.