Scientists to shine light on dark matter on Halloween

The ghostly substance of dark matter will be brought to light on Dark Matter Day this Halloween.

Dark Matter Day is an international celebration of the search to uncover the mystery of dark matter.

A free talk at The University of Sydney at 6pm on Monday, 31 October will introduce the basics of dark matter and the role Australian scientists are playing in uncovering its nature.

The event will feature talks by ARC Centre of Excellence for Dark Matter Particle Physics (CDM) theoretical physicist Ciaran O’Hare, Sydney Institute for Astronomy astronomer Geraint Lewis and The University of Sydney experimental astroparticle physicist Theresa Fruth.

Dr O’Hare, from The University of Sydney, will give a crash course on how to come up with a theory of dark matter and explain how we can test those ideas in space and on Earth.

“The nature of dark matter is one of the great mysteries of modern physics and astronomy. Scientists have now launched a global campaign to try and identify the fundamental nature of this strange substance so that we can finally detect it in the laboratory,” he said.

“Dark Matter Day is an opportunity to celebrate the globally-significant research happening right here in Australia to unlock the secrets of dark matter.

“We want to share the excitement of scientific exploration with Australians, and hopefully, at the same time inspire a future generation of scientists.”

Australian scientists are among researchers around the world are working to understand the nature of the substance that comprises more than 80 per cent of the matter of the universe.

One of the CDM’s experiments involves placing a dark matter detector 1km underground in a gold mine in regional Victoria.

In her talk, Dr Fruth will discuss the essential ingredients needed for a dark matter detector and explain why these experiments are usually located deep underground.

Professor Lewis will provide an overview of the case and evidence for the existence of dark matter in the universe.

More details about the event are available at: http://astroparticle-science.sydney.edu.au/dark-matter-day/