NIST researchers are exploring novel approaches to detect dark matter, a mysterious substance believed to make up 85% of the universe’s mass. In one study, scientists used superconducting nanowires to search for dark photons, a type of hypothetical dark matter particle. The experiment, while small, was the most sensitive search for dark photons in that mass range. Another team proposed using trapped electrons as highly sensitive detectors of charged dark matter particles. A third study suggested installing new atomic clocks on a spacecraft near the Sun to detect ultralight dark matter, which could cause tiny variations in fundamental constants. These innovative approaches aim to solve one of the biggest mysteries in physics.
Keywords: quantum, dark, matter, detectors, clocks
