A mysterious glow is coming from the middle of our galaxy – and scientists say it could help explain the universe
Scientists could solve one of the universe’s deepest mysteries
- A mysterious gamma-ray glow at the heart of the Milky Way has puzzled scientists for decades, potentially holding clues to one of the universe's deepest mysteries.
- Researchers propose two primary explanations for this diffuse glow: collisions between dark matter particles or emissions from spinning neutron stars.
- If the glow originates from dark matter interactions, it could provide the first direct proof of dark matter's existence, a substance crucial for holding galaxies together.
- A new study involved creating maps of where dark matter is expected to be found in the Milky Way, with simulations showing signals and characteristics consistent with the observed gamma-ray excess.
- Future experiments will aim to differentiate between the two theories by analysing the energy levels of the gamma rays; higher energy would suggest neutron stars, while lower energy would indicate dark matter collisions.