A mysterious glow is coming from the center of our galaxy – and scientists say it might assist clarify the universe

The diffuse glow of gamma rays in direction of the center of the Milky Way has been unexplained for many years.

But researchers imagine that it might be the results of colliding items of darkish matter, or the spinning of neutron stars.

If the reason is the previous, and the glow comes from darkish matter, it may be the primary ever proof that it really exists.

“Dark matter dominates the universe and holds galaxies together,” mentioned co-author of the report Joseph Silk, a professor of physics and astronomy at Johns Hopkins, in an announcement.

“It’s extremely consequential and we’re desperately thinking all the time of ideas as to how we could detect it.

“Gamma rays, and specifically the excess light we’re observing at the centre of our galaxy, could be our first clue.”

In a brand new examine, scientists made a map of the place they anticipated darkish matter to be discovered within the Milky Way.

In its early years, smaller programs of darkish matter and different materials got here into the galaxy in direction of its centre and clustered collectively, growing the variety of collisions between darkish matter.

A clear sign could be a smoking gun, for my part

Those maps are a part of a set of proof that implies that the glow of gamma rays on the center of the Milky Way is coming from darkish matter.

The simulations present the identical sign and traits as these present in the actual world, the scientists mentioned.

But they famous that outdated neutron stars which are woken again up is also emitting mild, which might additionally clarify most of the identical items of proof.

However, for that concept to work, scientists have to vary the maths barely to counsel there are extra of these pulsars in existence than they really see.

Researchers hope that one other experiment will lastly present extra certainty – and will give the primary proof of darkish matter.

If the gamma rays have increased power, they’re in all probability these stars, whereas lower-energy rays in all probability come from collisions between darkish matter.

“A clean signal would be a smoking gun, in my opinion,” Prof Silk mentioned.

Until then, they hope to do related simulations of different galaxies across the Milky Way, after which evaluate that with the information.

“It’s possible we will see the new data and confirm one theory over the other,” Prof Silk mentioned. “Or maybe we’ll find nothing, in which case it’ll be an even greater mystery.”