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Dark Matter Grows Hair Around Stars and Planets (forbes.com)

Posted by Soulskill on from the needs-to-shave-occasionally dept.

StartsWithABang writes: Dark matter may make up 27% of the Universe's energy density, compared to just 5% of normal (atomic) matter, but in our Solar System, it's notoriously sparse. In particular, there's just a nanogram's worth per cubic kilometer, which makes the fact that we've never directly detected it seem inevitable. But recent work has demonstrated that Earth and all the planets leave a "wake" of dark matter where the density is enhanced by a billion times or more. Time to go put those dark matter detectors where they belong: in the path of these dark matter hairs.

3 of 171 comments (clear)

  1. The dark matter between their ears by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    Dark matter must exist, because if it doesn't, it means we have been wrong all these years!

    Remember, when the facts don't match your theory, too bad for the facts. The theory is easily explained by an abundant (making up 96% of the universe), invisible, undetectable magic "dark mater" that is everywhere and affects everything. We just can't see it or detect it, you see, but it's totally there. Just like phlogiston and aether.

    1. Re:The dark matter between their ears by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

      I don't have to provide alternative explanation to point out that what I see here is an ungrounded assertion. They're trying to manipulate facts to match the theory, not the other way around like actual scientists do.

  2. Slashdot is not your personal blog by thegarbz · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Please startswithabang, go away.