sirbiotech
01-08-2002, 11:14 PM
dark matter: hidden mass confounds science, inspires revolutionary
theories
by andrew chaikin
editor, space & science
posted: 07:00 am et
08 january 2002
by the end of the 19th century, though, luminous ether had gone the
way of countless other scientific misconceptions. today, another
mysterious substance beguiles astronomers, and this one isn't
going
away. in fact, it's been at the forefront of cosmological
theories
for decades. it's called dark matter, and it is now widely
accepted
by astronomers as the stuff most of the universe is made of.
once upon a time ? a bit more than 100 years ago ? many
scientists
believed that seemingly empty space wasn't empty at all, but was
filled with a substance called luminous ether. this mysterious stuff,
never seen in any laboratory on earth, was thought to explain how
gravity from one celestial body could affect another.
"we've known that it exists for more than 25 years," says
astronomer
virginia trimble of the university of california irvine. "but we
don't know what the hell it is."
more..
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/cosmic_darkmatt_020108
-1.html
theories
by andrew chaikin
editor, space & science
posted: 07:00 am et
08 january 2002
by the end of the 19th century, though, luminous ether had gone the
way of countless other scientific misconceptions. today, another
mysterious substance beguiles astronomers, and this one isn't
going
away. in fact, it's been at the forefront of cosmological
theories
for decades. it's called dark matter, and it is now widely
accepted
by astronomers as the stuff most of the universe is made of.
once upon a time ? a bit more than 100 years ago ? many
scientists
believed that seemingly empty space wasn't empty at all, but was
filled with a substance called luminous ether. this mysterious stuff,
never seen in any laboratory on earth, was thought to explain how
gravity from one celestial body could affect another.
"we've known that it exists for more than 25 years," says
astronomer
virginia trimble of the university of california irvine. "but we
don't know what the hell it is."
more..
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/cosmic_darkmatt_020108
-1.html