Dark matter, making up 85% of all matter in the universe, remains elusive due to its invisible nature, studied only through its gravitational effects.
Scientists, using theories of particle interaction and advanced AI algorithms, are peeling back layers of cosmic activity to isolate dark matter’s properties. This effort is bolstered by innovative AI tools like the Inception model, which accurately differentiates between dark matter effects and other cosmic phenomena, potentially revealing dark matter’s true nature as data from new telescopes becomes available.
Unraveling Dark Matter’s Mystery
Dark matter is the invisible force holding the universe together – or so we think. It makes up around 85% of all matter and around 27% of the universe’s contents, but since we can’t see it directly, we have to study its gravitational effects on galaxies and other cosmic structures. Despite decades of research, the true nature of dark matter remains one of science’s most elusive questions.
According to a leading theory, dark matter might be a type of particle that barely interacts with anything else, except through gravity. But some scientists believe these particles could occasionally interact with each other, a phenomenon known as self-interaction. Detecting such interactions would offer crucial clues about dark matter’s properties.
However, distinguishing the subtle signs of dark matter self-interactions from other cosmic effects, like those caused by active galactic nuclei (AGN) – the supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies – has been a major challenge. AGN feedback can push matter around in ways that are similar to the effects of dark matter, making it difficult to tell the two apart.
AI Innovations in Astronomy
In a significant step forward, astronomer David Harvey at EPFL’s Laboratory of Astrophysics has developed a deep-learning algorithm that can untangle these complex signals. Their AI-based method is designed to differentiate between the effects of dark matter self-interactions and those of AGN feedback by analyzing images of galaxy clusters – vast collections of galaxies bound together by gravity. The innovation promises to greatly enhance the precision of dark matter studies.
Harvey trained a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) – a type of AI that is particularly good at recognizing patterns in images – with images from the BAHAMAS-SIDM project, which models galaxy clusters under different dark matter and AGN feedback scenarios. By being fed thousands of simulated galaxy cluster images, the CNN learned to distinguish between the signals caused by dark matter self-interactions and those caused by AGN feedback.
Results and Implications
Among the various CNN architectures tested, the most complex – dubbed “Inception” – proved to also be the most accurate. The AI was trained on two primary dark matter scenarios, featuring different levels of self-interaction, and validated on additional models, including a more complex, velocity-dependent dark matter model.
Inception achieved an impressive accuracy of 80% under ideal conditions, effectively identifying whether galaxy clusters were influenced by self-interacting dark matter or AGN feedback. It maintained is high performance even when the researchers introduced realistic observational noise that mimics the kind of data we expect from future telescopes like Euclid.
Future of Dark Matter Research
What this means is that Inception – and the AI approach more generally – could prove incredibly useful for analyzing the massive amounts of data we collect from space. Moreover, the AI’s ability to handle unseen data indicates that it’s adaptable and reliable, making it a promising tool for future dark matter research.
AI-based approaches like Inception could significantly impact our understanding of what dark matter actually is. As new telescopes gather unprecedented amounts of data, this method will help scientists sift through it quickly and accurately, potentially revealing the true nature of dark matter.
Reference: “A deep-learning algorithm to disentangle self-interacting dark matter and AGN feedback models” by D. Harvey, 6 September 2024, Nature Astronomy.
DOI: 10.1038/s41550-024-02322-8
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18 Comments
And maybe it’s invisible because it doesn’t actually exist.
Garbage in garbage out, start with nothing get nothing.
What is that supposed to even mean? Dark matter is a well established observation by independent means and part of the likewise well tested dark energy-dark matter cosmology we now have.
I think some people don’t like that the phenomena that is described, the data discrepancy if you will, is given a name that presumes to understand it. We really don’t know what dark matter and dark energy are. Calling them matter and energy seems presumptuous to some, even if they seem to be that.
You said it, bro. It IS presumptious.
No, dark matter is just inference upon inference upon inference upon discrepancies born out of the faulty equipment and faulty expectations. At best.
At worst, it’s just a vehicle for some academics to push for the Nobel Prize.
They don’t want them to burn…they just don’t care to stop the burners.
The universe is a more complex reality. Some cidmologists have taken an elementary approach towards understanding the universe and existence. My coming second and third cosmology books will comprehensively explain the universe and existence and will explain both Dark Matter and Dark Energy as very important in terms of our ultimate origin and nature.
There is dark matter, but not the theories that some researchers put forward in such a way that an object cannot be seen and it affects light and gravity, only black holes and black spots can have gravity on light or affect an 😊
Baryon dark matter (black holes – “black spots” is not an astronomical observation) is insufficient to explain observed dark matter.
A new postulate for lay me: “Artificial Intelligence yields artificial results.” In 2009 I discovered the true nature of gravity from a dream, similar to Nikola Tesla and the 3-phase AC electric motor. Externally imposed mild illness then (still), it took me until 2012 to devise, make a demo and upload my first video of how rotation intensifies gravity in all objects to an Internet video channel. Now, I’d like to suggest that, as with me long ago, simply learn to use more of the capacity of that bio-super-computer between your ears to quit wasting time and money on what is truly only “AI” (Artificial Imagination). Radiant locally induced pulsing angular lines of gravity force intensified with rotation explain it all; no dark matter or energy required, just scientific objectivity. “1Gravity:” https://odysee.com/@charlesgshaver:d/1Gravity:8
Your opinions does not inform our understanding of gravity, and your comment ends in self promotion spam.
With tens of billions of future US tax dollars being spent on misguided research and me being ineligible for any of it due to my being only a lone lay discoverer (as if only college educated professionals can ‘discover’ something), your failure to view the non-monetary video linked to and/or understand what I demonstrate is no failure of mine. What is it about “Radiant locally induced pulsing angular lines of gravity force intensified with rotation” that you don’t understand? Well, I did omit it above that it forms a generally spherical field that diminishes in density and strength in accordance with the inverse square law of attraction, ruling-out the possibility of gravity waves, and that I don’t yet know for certain what higher force induces those gravity lines of force to radiate in the first place; perhaps what well funded professional teams of researchers could determine? For now, I hypothesize, postulate and theorize that the gravity inducing force is above ultra high frequency reverberations of the big bang. Thank you for another thought provoking comment and I remain open to suggestions.
There is no dark matter, only dark minds.
Combining weak lensing data for mass behavior and X-ray data for visible matter behavior is a promising method to disentangle the latter “noise” from mass behavior, see e.g. “First detection of cross-correlation between cosmic shear and X-ray background enhances baryonic matter understanding”, Phys.org.
Here it isn’t necessary as such but it helps understand visible matter behavior:
“Whilst we find adding X-ray emissivity maps does not improve the performance in differentiating collisional dark matter, it does improve the ability to disentangle different models of astrophysical feedback.”
According to the paper it will take 100s of JWST galaxies or many more Euclid survey ones to test between CDM and SDM. But it seems doable if self interaction is strong enough.
Dark Mattwr and Dark Energy are misunderstood phenomena. In fact they are non-existent. My coming second and third cosmology books will comprehensively explain. Hopefully they will be soon published in the coming months. That will end the Dark Period of modern physics and the unproductive use of research funds thus creating new opportunities.
Interesting. About two years younger than you, as per Wikipedia, my model of the universe came to me unexpectedly with waking the morning of June 2, 1978, with the first of eleven universal laws of energy being: “All that is, is energy.” I’m curious now how well that compares with your more ‘comprehensive’ model? Mostly minor, now, externally imposed chronic illnesses (e.g., toxic US FDA approved food additives) continue to interfere with me completing a full-length book. Good luck with your publishing.
Anyone ever consider dark matter exists in the fourth dimension with its interaction in on matter (gravitational lensing and everybody) existing in the third dimension being the only “side” of it was can see.
To a one dimensional being we are a dot. To a two dimensional being we are a line. Adding the third dimension allows the holographic image of our base forms to exist. We are nothing more than energy, beings of light if you will, projecting a physical manifestation of our true nature through multiple dimensions of reality.
Look at black holes. That is how come nothing escape a black hole. It is not matter that is contained behind the point of no return, but information in the form of energy that is no longer broadcasted by it’s most basic form and projected into the screens of higher dimensions. All of that being said is it truly so odd an idea that dark matter exists in a dimensional realm that we are unable to perceive.
Please feel free to comment I would love to hear everyone’s thoughts and opinions