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Will scientists discover what the Universe is made of in 2009?

Background: An excerpt from At last, light is shed on the secrets of dark matter:

It is one of the biggest mysteries in science which has baffled scholars for more than 75 years, but now a team of cosmologists believes it has found a way of discovering what the universe is made of. About 85 per cent is neither stars nor planets but some form of mysterious matter. It cannot be seen or detected by conventional scientific instruments, which is why the precise nature of this "dark matter" has eluded the finest minds in science.

Now cosmologists believe the problem will be solved within two years, thanks to the results of a vast computer simulation of the Milky Way galaxy that has provided the first cosmic map of where dark matter can be found and how find it.

The simulation predicts that there are regions near the centre of the Milky Way where dark matter will emit a glow of powerful gamma radiation that could be detected by a Nasa satellite launched this year.

There are two broadly competing theories about the nature of dark matter. One is that it is composed of large, planet-sized objects, called Machos, and the others made of sub-atomic particles, known as Wimps. Most cosmologists are edging towards the latter.

Specifically, this question is asking whether Fermi will be able to detect gamma radiation in the galaxy this year?

Settlement details:As reported by a major mainstream news source. If no news by suspend date, question will settle as 'no'

 
Forecast history %
Yes
34%
No
66%
Question suspends in 25 weeks

Suspend date: Thu 31st Dec 11:59pm PST (25 weeks to go)

Initial likelihoods: Yes: 65%

Action history:

Created Thu 6th Nov 2008 5:10pm PST by tisha[Admin]

Suspend date: Thu 31st Dec 11:59pm PST (25 weeks to go) details

 

Predictions (115)

1 week ago
mrhomegadgets predicted No (H$20 at 66%)
1 week ago
shazan predicted No (H$100 at 63%)
1 week ago
ieujam1 predicted No (H$500 at 62%)
1 week ago
egonelbre predicted No (H$100 at 61%)
1 week ago
roof7opman predicted No (H$100 at 61%)

Comments (3)

  1 growthy
great question!
posted 34 weeks ago
  2 frank2877
Green cheese! No, wait! That's just the Moon. :-)

http://www.wisegeek.com/why-do-people-say-the-moon-is-made-of-green-cheese.htm
posted 33 weeks ago
  3 bigken1
Tisha,
I am guessing they will find gamma rays from our galaxy, but I do not think that will necessarily resolve what the universe is made of. I think likely dark matter lies outside of galaxies -- in clusters of galaxies more likely.. , but this may be beyond my ken
posted 27 weeks ago

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