Imagine this: there’s a mysterious force acting on the universe, but no one can see it nor measure it nor study it. No one knows the long-term effects it may have hundreds of years down the road, or even tomorrow. Now, here’s the scary part: this isn’t necessarily just a story. Dark matter is a force that is all of the above. Dr. Larson talked about dark matter during his lecture in class and peaked my interest. I began researching the long-term effects dark matter may have on the universe, if any.
Just as a little review, About.com defines dark matter as “a hypothesized form of matter particle that does not reflect or emit electromagnetic radiation.” In other words, it’s impossible to see, yet it is responsible for approximately 96% of the universe’s observed gravitational effects. Essentially, dark matter holds the entire universe in place. Time Magazine stated that nearly 80% of the universe is comprised of dark matter, and researchers are getting closer to getting some answers. 
They believe they have discovered evidence indicating the existence of a particle known as a WIMP (weakly interacting massive particle) which could be a form of a component of dark matter. The tricky thing is, they’d be impossible for any type of telescope to see. Now, that situation seems very bleak, so why exactly are scientists so darn excited? Especially when they’re not even sure what they’ve found is a result of dark matter? Basically, there’s not much exciting about it at all, in regards to actually getting more answers. All they’ve got is a hunch and some data that grows stronger everyday.
They believe they have discovered evidence indicating the existence of a particle known as a WIMP (weakly interacting massive particle) which could be a form of a component of dark matter. The tricky thing is, they’d be impossible for any type of telescope to see. Now, that situation seems very bleak, so why exactly are scientists so darn excited? Especially when they’re not even sure what they’ve found is a result of dark matter? Basically, there’s not much exciting about it at all, in regards to actually getting more answers. All they’ve got is a hunch and some data that grows stronger everyday. The questions that remain are enormous and may never be solved. The question that inspired this post was: will dark matter ever destroy the universe? According to Suite101, it’s possible. If dark matter were to disappear, the universe would essentially fall apart. The gravity that dark matter produces would cease to exist, and nothing would be as it is today. This could cause catastrophic tragedy, and the world would almost certainly end. If dark matter decreased, the universe would become very different; the stars would drift apart and burn out as the universe expanded, and there would not be enough gravity from the dark matter to pull them back in. This leaves me wondering if an increase in dark matter (if that is even possible) would cause the universe to sort of fold in on itself, or condense into something such as a hot ball of matter, or just a bigger expanse of dark matter.
Humans have always been intrigued by the unknown, and dark matter is no exception. I have always been interested in astrology and I truly hope that they find answers on this topic sooner rather than later. These mysteries of the universe will continue to evolve, but one mystery will always stay the same: how many mysteries exist in the universe that we have not even dreamed of studying?