It is easy to believe in the matter we can see and the energy we can perceive in this universe. We
see objects and can feel heat, a type of energy. Light illuminates, we stand on ground and can hold solid
objects, feel and see the effect of wind or water and other liquids and gases. Is this all there is?
We are told that the majority of matter, 85% by some estimates, is something called dark matter
that we can neither see, feel, touch nor taste. How is that possible? Science fiction, of course, invents all
sorts of things, and being a sci-fi writer, I join in the fun. But there is dark matter according to real
scientists.
In the Hubble telescope images above, we can detect the effects of dark matter because it does
have mass and therefore gravity. For instance, gravity, if it is strong enough, can bend light. In the gif above you can see a black hole with a corona of light. The center, of course, is blank due to its gravity preventing light from escaping. What this demonstrates is
that a powerful gravity field can bend or absorb light rays.
Focus on the bottom left image above. All four galaxies around the edge of the center one are the
exact same galaxy. Between the central galaxy and the further back one is a powerful gravity mass we
cannot see that is bending the light perfectly. This intermediate object has been identified as a dark
matter clump or cluster. Because we cannot see it or measure it in any other way, but we know it exists,
we have proof of dark matter
Next week I’ll discuss how this might affect my stories
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