Dark matter has long been a mystery to scientists because it is invisible and does not emit, reflect or absorb light, making it incredibly difficult to detect. But physicists believe that dark matter makes up about 85% of the mass of the universe, and they can observe its effects on the behavior of galaxies through the gravitational perturbations of light.

There are two most common hypotheses explaining dark matter: first, that it is composed of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), and second, that it is composed of extremely light action particles.

Hong Kong physicists have used gravitational lensing (the distortion of light caused by the gravity of large objects like galaxies) to study several star systems. They analyzed how the images were distorted if the dark matter consisted of wimps or axes.

What scientists see

The simulations showed that the WIMP model did not resemble real telescope images, but the axis model reproduced all the parameters of the observed system. Therefore, the researchers concluded that the action model is a more likely answer to the mystery of dark matter.

The study was led by scientists from the University of Hong Kong and is published in the journal Nature.

The results are an important step forward in our understanding of the universe and could pave the way for future studies of dark matter. The research team believes that more research is needed to confirm their findings and to fully understand the properties of action particles.

Dark matter has puzzled physicists for decades, and this discovery is a major milestone in the search for answers. The discovery could lead to a better understanding of the fundamental forces that shape our universe and have far-reaching implications for our understanding of the cosmos.