Scientists mapping dark matter have inadvertently discovered a mysterious filamentous structure connecting galaxies.
A research team from the United States and South Korea, led by Dr. Donghui Jeong from the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the Institute for Gravitation and the Cosmos, Pennsylvania State University (USA), has created a new map detailing the distribution of dark matter in the region of space surrounding the Earth’s galaxy, the Milky Way.
Dark matter map with an X marking the galaxy containing Earth – Graphic from the research team.
“The cosmic web dictates the movement of all types of matter within galaxies and intergalactic environments through gravitational forces. Therefore, understanding the distribution of dark matter is essential for studying large-scale structures,” Dr. Jeong stated.
According to Sci-News, during their research, they uncovered a previously unknown structure. This consists of thin, mysterious filaments that connect galaxies to one another. One of these filaments links the Milky Way galaxy containing Earth with several neighboring galaxies. This hidden connection resembles “ghostly chains,” linking galaxies similarly to how neurons are interconnected in the human brain.
Dr. Jeong noted that this “dual” research—comprising the creation of a map to clarify the distribution of dark matter and the discovery of these eerie filamentous structures—could open a new chapter in cosmic research.
He and his colleagues plan to continue their research to examine how the distribution of dark matter relates to other emission data, which could help in understanding the nature of dark matter. Additionally, they have yet to answer what these mysterious, invisible filamentous structures connecting galaxies are, which remains an intriguing secret to be explored.
The study was recently published in the Astrophysical Journal.
