ACT Collaboration Creates Detailed Map of Dark Matter Distribution and Confirms Einstein’s Theory
A team of researchers from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) collaboration has created the most detailed map of dark matter distribution across a quarter of the entire sky, extending deep into the cosmos.[0] The groundbreaking new image confirms Albert Einstein's theory of how colossal cosmic structures grow and curve light over the span of 14 billion years of the universe. The research adds to the ongoing debate about “The Crisis in Cosmology,” which focuses on the discrepancy in measuring the age of the universe and requires knowledge of the rate of expansion. The crisis stems from different measurements of background light rather than the cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB). The nonconformities indicated that the standard model of cosmology did not feature a sufficient amount of irregularities in dark matter, thus rendering the model imprecise.
The enigmatic concept of dark matter provides a theoretical answer to the perplexing observation that a substantial portion of the universe, approximately 85 percent, seems to be absent. It is made from particles that are invisible, absorbing, reflecting or emitting no light or energy, according to NASA, so it’s undetectable directly.[1] It’s therefore hypothetical, though its existence can be inferred by its effect on other things.[1] It is believed that dark matter makes up approximately 85% of the matter in the universe and its interaction is limited to gravity only.
To track down the elusive dark matter, more than 160 collaborating scientists worldwide have built and gathered data from the National Science Foundation’s Atacama Cosmology Telescope in the high Chilean Andes.[2] At the dawn of the universe's creation, during the Big Bang, which occurred when the universe was a mere 380,000 years old, they detect the emission of light.[3] The cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB) is commonly referred to by cosmologists as the “baby picture of the universe”. This ubiquitous light permeates our entire universe.[3]
The group monitors the impact of massive, weighty objects such as dark matter on the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) during its voyage of 14 billion years to reach us, comparable to the way a magnifying glass alters the path of light as it traverses its lens.[4] The new map uses light from the CMB essentially as a backlight to silhouette all the matter between us and the Big Bang.
According to Mathew Madhavacheril, an assistant professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Pennsylvania, a fresh mass map has been created by utilizing the light distortions that originated from the Big Bang. In an astounding manner, the measurements it presents demonstrate that the universe's “lumpiness” and its growth rate, after 14 billion years of development, align perfectly with the standard cosmology model founded on Einstein's gravity theory.[5]
The research results provide new insights into an ongoing debate referred to as “the crisis in cosmology.” The crisis stems from recent measurements that use a different background light – one emitted from stars in galaxies rather than the CMB. The outcomes of these experiments indicate that the standard cosmological model's assumption of insufficient lumpiness in dark matter may be flawed, thereby causing apprehension about its validity. The latest ACT results of the team have accurately determined that the enormous masses visible in this picture are of the correct dimensions.
Mark Devlin, the deputy director of ACT and the Reese Flower Professor of Astronomy at the University of Pennsylvania, admits that in 2003, when they suggested the experiment, they had no inkling of the vast amount of information that their telescope could yield.[6] The credit for this achievement is due to the ingenuity of the theorists, the numerous individuals who constructed advanced tools to enhance the sensitivity of our telescope, and the innovative analysis methods devised by our team.[6]
The creation of this map confirms Einstein's theory of how colossal cosmic structures grow and curve light across the span of 14 billion years of the universe. The research offers new methods to demystify dark matter and sheds light on the ongoing debate about the crisis in cosmology. The ACT team's latest results precisely assess that the vast lumps seen in this image are the exact right size, providing new insights into the nature of dark matter and the overall structure of the universe.
0. “Groundbreaking new image depicts distribution of enigmatic dark matter” Interesting Engineering, 11 Apr. 2023, https://interestingengineering.com/science/groundbreaking-new-image-how-dark-matter-distributed
1. “This Strange New Map Of ‘Dark Matter’ Proves Einstein Was Right, Say Scientists” Forbes, 12 Apr. 2023, https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2023/04/11/this-strange-new-map-of-dark-matter-proves-einstein-was-right-say-scientists
2. “Detailed map of matter in the cosmos confirms Einstein's theory of general relativity, astronomers say” University of Toronto, 11 Apr. 2023, https://www.utoronto.ca/news/detailed-map-matter-cosmos-confirms-einstein-s-theory-general-relativity-astronomers-say
3. “Scientists create the most detailed map of dark matter yet, confirming Einstein’s theory of general relativity” Toronto Star, 11 Apr. 2023, https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2023/04/10/scientists-create-the-most-detailed-map-of-dark-matter-yet-confirming-einsteins-theory-of-general-relativity.html
4. “New findings reveal the most detailed mass map of dark matter | Penn Today” Penn Today, 11 Apr. 2023, https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/new-findings-reveal-most-detailed-mass-map-dark-matter
5. “Einstein was right about invisible dark matter, massive new map of the universe suggests” Livescience.com, 11 Apr. 2023, https://www.livescience.com/space/einstein-was-right-about-invisible-dark-matter-massive-new-map-of-the-universe-suggests
6. “Einstein’s Theory of Gravity in Question? What a New Map Detailing One of the Great “Mysteries of the Cosmos” Helps …” The Debrief, 11 Apr. 2023, https://thedebrief.org/einsteins-theory-of-gravity-in-question-heres-what-a-new-map-detailing-one-of-the-great-mysteries-of-the-cosmos-helps-reveal/
