Is dark matter a mirror of our universe? Physicists explore ‘mirror matter’ theory
Representative image: Dark matterA compelling theory in particle physics is gaining renewed attention– What if the universe has a hidden twin, a mirror world that could hold the key to one of astronomy’s biggest mysteries: dark matter?In the study published on July 8 called ‘Dark matter from quasi–de Sitter horizons’ by author Stefano Profumo in APS physical review journals, it is mentioned that Physicists propose that for every known particle– electron, proton, photon – there may exist a mirror counterpart, forming an invisible but real sector of the universe.These mirror particles are nearly identical to ordinary ones, but with reversed handedness in weak interactions, meaning they don’t behave the same in certain fundamental processes, claimed the study.These mirror particles don’t interact with ordinary matter via light or electromagnetism, but may only communicate with our world through gravity or extremely weak forces. As a result, this mirror matter remains invisible to current detectors just like the elusive dark matter that makes up over 80% of the universe’s mass, as per the study.These ‘mirror black matter’ objects would behave just like mini black holes: compact, stable, and purely gravitational. Such objects could survive to the present day, contributing to the invisible dark matter halo around galaxies.They would be almost impossible to detect directly, said the study, since they emit no light or heat. But their gravitational effects might be spotted via microlensing or gravitational wave signals.While mirror matter remains hypothetical, it is a mathematically elegant and testable idea with growing theoretical and observational support. If proven, it would not only solve the dark matter mystery but fundamentally reshape our understanding of the universe revealing that we may live alongside a shadow cosmos, hidden in plain gravitational sight.
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| Representative image: Dark matter |
A compelling theory in particle physics is gaining renewed attention– What if the universe has a hidden twin, a mirror world that could hold the key to one of astronomy’s biggest mysteries: dark matter?
In the study published on July 8 called ‘Dark matter from quasi–de Sitter horizons’ by author Stefano Profumo in APS physical review journals, it is mentioned that Physicists propose that for every known particle– electron, proton, photon – there may exist a mirror counterpart, forming an invisible but real sector of the universe.
These mirror particles are nearly identical to ordinary ones, but with reversed handedness in weak interactions, meaning they don’t behave the same in certain fundamental processes, claimed the study.
These mirror particles don’t interact with ordinary matter via light or electromagnetism, but may only communicate with our world through gravity or extremely weak forces. As a result, this mirror matter remains invisible to current detectors just like the elusive dark matter that makes up over 80% of the universe’s mass, as per the study.
These ‘mirror black matter’ objects would behave just like mini black holes: compact, stable, and purely gravitational. Such objects could survive to the present day, contributing to the invisible dark matter halo around galaxies.
They would be almost impossible to detect directly, said the study, since they emit no light or heat. But their gravitational effects might be spotted via microlensing or gravitational wave signals.
While mirror matter remains hypothetical, it is a mathematically elegant and testable idea with growing theoretical and observational support.
If proven, it would not only solve the dark matter mystery but fundamentally reshape our understanding of the universe revealing that we may live alongside a shadow cosmos, hidden in plain gravitational sight.
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