Unveiling the Universe’s Mysteries: Dark Dwarfs and the Secrets of Dark Matter
Scientists from the UK and US have proposed a new type of cosmic object that could finally unlock one of the universe’s greatest mysteries: dark matter. These theoretical stellar bodies, known as “dark dwarfs”, may be hiding at the center of our galaxy.
Unlike regular stars, these mysterious objects are brown dwarfs powered by dark matter annihilation rather than nuclear fusion. Dark dwarfs would glow from the energy released when dark matter particles collide and destroy each other in their cores. This groundbreaking research was led by Dr. Djuna Croon from Durham University and Professor Jeremy Sakstein from the University of Hawaii, and their findings have been published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics.
Professor Sakstein explains, “Dark matter could be captured by stars and accumulate inside them. If that happens, it might also interact with itself and annihilate, releasing energy that heats the star.” This discovery could provide compelling evidence that dark matter consists of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs).
Astronomers could identify these dark dwarfs by looking for lithium-7 signatures – a chemical element that burns away in normal stars but would persist in these cooler, dark matter-powered objects. This research opens a new avenue for detecting the invisible substance that makes up 25% of the universe.
Source: ScienceDaily