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New Theory Challenges Need For Dark Matter

New submitter elsurexiste writes "An Italian Physicist came up with a strange way to explain anomalous galactic rotations without dark matter, instead relying on the gravitational effects of faraway matter. The article explains, 'Conceptually the idea makes little sense. Positioning gravitationally significant mass outside of the orbit of stars might draw them out into wider orbits, but it’s difficult to see why this would add to their orbital velocity. Drawing an object into a wider orbit should result in it taking longer to orbit the galaxy since it will have more circumference to cover. What we generally see in spiral galaxies is that the outer stars orbit the galaxy within much the same time period as more inward stars. But although the proposed mechanism seems a little implausible, what is remarkable about Carati’s claim is that the math apparently deliver galactic rotation curves that closely fit the observed values of at least four known galaxies. Indeed, the math delivers an extraordinarily close fit.' As usual, these are extraordinary claims that divert from the consensus, so keep a healthy skepticism. The paper is available at the arXiv (PDF)."

5 of 302 comments (clear)

  1. No by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm sorry, but "gravitational effects" won't sell popsci books. For the sake of our royalties, let's stick to dark matter.

  2. Also by MrEricSir · · Score: 5, Funny

    Also there was that Galileo guy too.

    (Must be all the espresso they're always drinking.)

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    There's no -1 for "I don't get it."
  3. Re:"Intelligent" gravity force by canajin56 · · Score: 5, Funny

    The name "gravity" is prejudicial as it presupposes a connection between the alleged force and weight! "Intelligent Falling" is the preferred term.

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    ASCII stupid question, get a stupid ANSI
  4. Re:"Intelligent" gravity force by Warwick+Allison · · Score: 5, Funny

    Indeed, stupid scientists made a big complicated theory about forces proportional to masses and then after doing experiments and finding that things fall the same regardless of mass, they cover up their error by adding even more factors!

    Occam's Razor requires us to believe that stuff all falls at the same rate because God decided that was the best rate.

    Why this rate? When God created the world, He made the rate of fall exactly enough that we could walk on two legs, while all Lower creatures cannot because the Falling Speed is not tuned for them. If Falling was even slightly slower or faster, your feet would hit the ground out-of-step and would not be able to walk - co-incidence? No, proof that God made the world for Man.

  5. Re:what's going on in italy lately? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Are you daring to question existence of phlogiston, that glorious celestial substance that suffuses the luminous aether?

    Pistols at dawn, sir.