Robert sent in this cracker. At https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-are-now-searching-for-dark-matter-inside-old-earth-rocks-minerals-crystals/ … failing to find dark matter in space, yet alone its pal, dark energy, scientists are now searching for it inside old earth rocks. According to cosmologists, we can see only a small fraction of the universe. Just five per cent. These are the stars, planets, gas clouds, and the event horizons of black holes. The rest is thought to be mostly composed of dark matter. It is completely invisible. Nobody can see it or identify where exactly it is lurking. Now we have a new avenue to search – still ignoring the idea of electricity in space. Patrick Huber, a physicist, is leading a team trying to find it. Instead of using space telescopes they are going to look for it in old rocks, a billion years old or more. They already have the funding to build a new laboratory specifically for the purpose. Many scientists, we are told, believe in the existence of dark matter – or pay the idea lip service, we might add. Galaxies rotate faster that they should on visible matter – and the idea of gravity alone. Something is missing, it is argued, that must be providing the extra gravitational pull.
The concept is to examine the crystal structure of old rocks for tiny disruptions caused by dark matter particles colliding with atomic nuclei. It is hoped that advanced imaging techniques can detect them. One of the challenges, he admits, is distinguishing these potential dark matter signals from the background noise of radioactivity. Looks like a fudge might be on the way. There is also a commercial angle. We can see the potential to create portable devices to monitor nuclear reactions – which could enhance safety and security measures. Not only that, while dark matter is the primary focus of research, the team is also open to explore wherever the research may take them. Science doesn’t always give you what you expect, Huber says. An interesting add on.
Robert comments, back in the day missing mass was imagined to explain the rotation curves of galaxies. Dark matter came later. Basically, it was used to prop up the Big Bang hypothesis. It still failed – so they added dark energy to the mix. He adds, missing mass, dark matter, and dark energy, exist only in the minds of mainstream cosmologists, astronomers, and astrophysicists.