the Dark matter, the mysterious substance that makes up most of the mass of the universe
If this type of dark matter existed, people would be dying of unexplained ‘gunshot’ wounds
The idea boils down to this: If a certain type of dark matter particle existed, it would occasionally kill people, passing
through them like a bullet. Because no one has died from unexplained gunshotlike wounds, this type of dark matter
does not exist, according to a new study.
through them like a bullet. Because no one has died from unexplained gunshotlike wounds, this type of dark matter
does not exist, according to a new study.
Still, there are other ways to detect this particular type of dark matter and researchers should keep looking, says Katherine Freese, a theoretical physicist at the University of Texas in
Austin who wasn’t involved in the study but has studied the effects of dark matter on humans. “We don’t know what dark matter
is, so we shouldn’t write things off,” she says.
Austin who wasn’t involved in the study but has studied the effects of dark matter on humans. “We don’t know what dark matter
is, so we shouldn’t write things off,” she says.
Dark matter makes up about 85% of the mass of the universe, but the substance itself remains a mystery. One theory posits that it consists of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs).
These particles would be abundant, but so shy about
interacting with ordinary matter that only very sensitive detectors would
have a crack at catching them. So far, they’ve evaded detection in
large tanks of liquid xenon and argon; kept in underground laboratories, these tanks would be able to sense the signals
from WIMPs without interference from sources such as
cosmic rays.
These particles would be abundant, but so shy about
interacting with ordinary matter that only very sensitive detectors would
have a crack at catching them. So far, they’ve evaded detection in
large tanks of liquid xenon and argon; kept in underground laboratories, these tanks would be able to sense the signals
from WIMPs without interference from sources such as
cosmic rays.
A less mainstream dark matter candidate, known as macros, would form heavier particles. Although macros would be much rarer than WIMPs, any collisions with ordinary matter would
be violent, leaving an obvious trace. The new study explores
what those traces might look like if the macros hit people.
be violent, leaving an obvious trace. The new study explores
what those traces might look like if the macros hit people.
Glenn Starkman and Jagjit Singh Sidhu, theoretical physicists
at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, were originally searching for traces of macros in granite slabs when
a colleague made a suggestion. “Why can’t you just use humans
as a detector?” they recall Robert Scherrer, a co-author and
theoretical physicist at Vanderbilt University in Nashville
saying.
“The energies you’re talking about, these things would
probably at best maim a person, at worst kill a person.”
at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, were originally searching for traces of macros in granite slabs when
a colleague made a suggestion. “Why can’t you just use humans
as a detector?” they recall Robert Scherrer, a co-author and
theoretical physicist at Vanderbilt University in Nashville
saying.
“The energies you’re talking about, these things would
probably at best maim a person, at worst kill a person.”
The team forged ahead with the idea and modeled macros that would have a similar effect to a fatal shot from a .22 caliber
rifle.
Such particles would be minuscule, but very heavy, and
thus release the same amount of energy as a bullet as it passes
through a person.
Their calculations focused on the millions of people living in Canada, the United States, and Western Europe over
the past decade because researchers say these countries have more reliable data on how many people died and from what causes.
rifle.
Such particles would be minuscule, but very heavy, and
thus release the same amount of energy as a bullet as it passes
through a person.
Their calculations focused on the millions of people living in Canada, the United States, and Western Europe over
the past decade because researchers say these countries have more reliable data on how many people died and from what causes.
In this sample, scientists would expect to see a handful of
reports of unexplained deaths from invisible dark matter “bullets.”
reports of unexplained deaths from invisible dark matter “bullets.”
But there were none, the researchers report this week on the preprint server arXiv. These deaths would not go
unnoticed—they would leave victims dead or dying
with a tubular wound where their flesh was vaporized.
unnoticed—they would leave victims dead or dying
with a tubular wound where their flesh was vaporized.
This experiment doesn’t rule out heavy macro dark matter altogether, Scherrer says. It merely eliminates a certain range
of them. Heavier macro dark matter would not occur
frequently enough to measure, Freese notes,
and other forms wouldn’t kill people.
of them. Heavier macro dark matter would not occur
frequently enough to measure, Freese notes,
and other forms wouldn’t kill people.
“There is probably still room for very heavy dark matter,” says Paolo Gorla, a particle physicist at Italy’s underground Gran Sasso National Laboratory, who is not involved with the study.
The Case Western team is not the only group of researchers
trying to harness new ways to detect dark matter.
trying to harness new ways to detect dark matter.
Freese has developed paleo-detector experiments that would
be sensitive enough to detect the traces of WIMPs in ancient minerals. However, rocks could also show signals of heavier
dark matter—in more obvious ways. If macros collide with
rock, they would shoot straight through, melting a cylinder of rock that would quickly resolidify into new forms.
When light-colored granite is melted, for example, the melted rock hardens as a channel of dark obsidianlike stone.
be sensitive enough to detect the traces of WIMPs in ancient minerals. However, rocks could also show signals of heavier
dark matter—in more obvious ways. If macros collide with
rock, they would shoot straight through, melting a cylinder of rock that would quickly resolidify into new forms.
When light-colored granite is melted, for example, the melted rock hardens as a channel of dark obsidianlike stone.
For now, the Case Western researchers will not be extending their human death calculations.
This fall, they will search monuments, countertops, and graveyards for dark, elliptical patches that could be signs of macros hitting granite slabs. Next, they hope to identify characteristics for a range of macros and then train people
to look for the marks on granite surfaces around the world.
That, they say, would open up a whole new way to use
humans as dark matter detectors.
This fall, they will search monuments, countertops, and graveyards for dark, elliptical patches that could be signs of macros hitting granite slabs. Next, they hope to identify characteristics for a range of macros and then train people
to look for the marks on granite surfaces around the world.
That, they say, would open up a whole new way to use
humans as dark matter detectors.
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