University of Tokyo Astronomer May Have "Seen" Dark Matter for First Time Using NASA's Fermi Telescope
- MM24 News Desk
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
University of Tokyo astronomer Professor Tomonori Totani may have achieved what scientists have attempted for nearly a century—directly observing dark matter. Using data from NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, Totani detected a specific gamma-ray signal that closely matches predictions of what should be produced when theoretical dark matter particles annihilate one another in the heart of our galaxy, according to the University of Tokyo.
The quest to understand dark matter began in the early 1930s when Swiss astronomer Fritz Zwicky noticed something peculiar about the cosmos. Galaxies were moving faster than their visible mass could possibly account for. He proposed the existence of an invisible, mysterious substance—dubbed dark matter—whose gravity provided the necessary scaffolding to hold galaxies together. For nearly 100 years, this cosmic glue has remained entirely theoretical, detectable only through its gravitational effects on the stars and gas we can see.
The fundamental problem has been dark matter's elusive nature. The particles that constitute it do not interact with electromagnetic force. This means dark matter doesn't absorb, reflect, or emit any form of light, making it completely invisible to our telescopes. Scientists have only been able to infer its presence by observing how its immense gravitational pull bends light and dictates the motion of galaxies.
One leading theory suggests dark matter is composed of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs). These hypothetical particles are thought to be much heavier than protons but interact with normal matter so feebly that they pass through it undetected. However, there's a catch. When two WIMPs collide, theoretical physicists predict they should annihilate each other, transforming into a burst of other particles, including high-energy gamma-ray photons.
For years, researchers have pointed telescopes toward regions of space where dark matter is thought to be densely concentrated, with the center of our Milky Way galaxy being a prime target. It is here that Professor Totani from the Department of Astronomy at the University of Tokyo focused his investigation, analyzing the latest data from the Fermi telescope. His findings, published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, point to a monumental breakthrough.
"We detected gamma rays with a photon energy of 20 gigaelectronvolts extending in a halolike structure toward the center of the Milky Way galaxy," said Totani. "The gamma-ray emission component closely matches the shape expected from the dark matter halo."
This specific energy signature, equivalent to 20 billion electronvolts, is an extremely powerful emission that aligns perfectly with what models predict from the annihilation of WIMPs with a mass roughly 500 times that of a proton.
Critically, Totani emphasizes that this particular signal is not easily explained by other, more mundane astronomical phenomena like pulsars or cosmic ray interactions. The intensity and the distinctive halo shape point toward a dark matter origin.
"If this is correct, to the extent of my knowledge, it would mark the first time humanity has 'seen' dark matter," Totani stated. "And it turns out that dark matter is a new particle not included in the current standard model of particle physics. This signifies a major development in astronomy and physics."
Despite the compelling evidence, the scientific process requires rigorous verification. Totani's results must now withstand independent analysis by other research groups around the world. Furthermore, to solidify the claim, the same gamma-ray signature needs to be detected in other dark matter-rich environments.
"This may be achieved once more data is accumulated," Totani suggested, pointing to dwarf galaxies orbiting the Milky Way as ideal secondary targets. If confirmed, this discovery would not only solve a century-old cosmic mystery but would also fling open a new window into the fundamental building blocks of our universe.