By studying gravitational lensing, scientists have measured the amount of mass and matter found in different parts of the universe. The map is based on data collected by the Dark Energy Survey and the South Pole Telescope and could help shed light on two of the biggest mysteries in astrophysics, dark energy and dark matter.

The universe as seen before

The accepted theory is that the Big Bang started everything, blowing matter in all directions into the ever-expanding universe. As might be expected, it was not uniformly distributed, but with an element of randomness so that some areas had more substance than others. Over time, the denser regions began to form clouds of dust and gas that condensed into stars, galaxies, and everything else.

By studying the distribution of matter in space today, scientists can better understand the forces that shape the universe. This encompasses mysteries such as dark energy, which is thought to be the driving force behind the accelerating expansion of the universe over time.

Map of matter in the universe

To make the map, scientists focused on a phenomenon called gravitational lensing. In essence, objects of enormous mass actually warp space-time itself so much that the path of light is distorted as it passes by. Measuring the extent of this degradation could allow scientists to calculate how much mass, and therefore matter, is in a given region.

The analysis is largely consistent with the most widely used universe model today, known as the lambda-cold dark matter (ΛCDM) model. However, it may not be a perfect fit – the study shows that matter is a little less concentrated than we thought, which could open the door to a whole new model that explains everything better.

The modern universe seems to fluctuate slightly less than we might expect, assuming our standard cosmological model is tied to the early universe.
– said Eric Baxter, the author of the study.

Information about the universe is constantly updated.

This is not the first crack in our understanding of the universe to appear in our so-called standard model of cosmology. ΛCDM requires the existence of a mysterious substance called dark matter, which can only be observed by its gravitational effect on ordinary matter. However, no matter how sure astronomers were sure of its existence, decades of experiments were unable to detect it directly.

There is also a problem called Hubble voltage. Essentially, observing the cosmos somehow gives a certain value for the so-called Hubble constant – but the ΛCDM model supported by other observing methods gives an entirely different value. Even more surprising, both models are getting more and more plausible and yet they don’t overlap, suggesting the possibility of new physics.

Why is this an important discovery?

Sukhdeep Singh, lead author of the study, says the new matter map of the universe is important for many reasons.

Gravitational lensing is the best method we have for mapping dark matter, which is invisible and neither emits nor absorbs light. We were able to combine data from these two studies in a way that would be much stronger than either one alone.

The map will allow scientists to explore new directions, such as testing dark matter and dark energy theories and examining the nature of cosmic acceleration. It can also help answer questions about the origin and evolution of the universe.

Still, the researchers of the new project admit that their observations of the less dense nature of matter have yet to reach the level of statistical significance needed to be sure of this. Future studies may help confirm this.

As with any major scientific discovery, there will likely be debate and disagreement among researchers in the field about the implications of these findings. But one thing is clear: the new matter map of the universe is an important milestone in our ongoing quest to understand the mysteries of the cosmos.