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January 07, 2007

Dark Matter Brought to Light

Many times through the life of this blog, while debating with this or that anti-evolution individual about the field of science, I've heard the accusation that some theories, for example that of "dark matter," are non-scientific since they can't be tested.

No, it never made sense to me either, but then understanding science isn't really a strength among those who reject evolution. Regardless, a new article in the Independent describes further physical evidence for the existence of dark matter:

One of the greatest mysteries of the universe is about to be unravelled with the first detailed, three-dimensional map of dark matter - the invisible material that makes up most of the cosmos.

Astronomers announced yesterday that they have achieved the apparently impossible task of creating a picture of something that has defied every attempt to detect it since its existence was first postulated in 1933.

...

One of the most important discoveries to emerge from the study is that dark matter appears to form an invisible scaffold or skeleton around which the visible universe has formed.

Although cosmologists have theorised that this would be the case, the findings are dramatic proof that their calculations are correct and that, without dark matter, the known universe that we can see would not be able to exist.

"A filamentary web of dark matter is threaded through the entire universe, and acts as scaffolding within which the ordinary matter - including stars, galaxies and planets - can later be built," Dr Massey said. "The most surprising aspect of our map is how unsurprising it is. Overall, we seem to understand really well what happens during the formation of structure and the evolution of the universe," he said.

Sounds pretty well tested and confirmed to me. There was no "pre-Cambrian rabbit" to be found. Now, much like with evolution, the specific details are up for debate and further investigation in the scientific community, a mystery to be solved rather than chalked up to "Goddidit."

Hey, perhaps that lattice-work of dark matter was constructed by an Intelligent Structural Engineer! Could this be a new field of religious study, replete with laughable textbooks, court cases, and videos (starring Kirk Cameron) about how the banana is the most structurally sound construct in the universe?