Potential Hint of Dark Matter in Universe Maps

Dark matter permeates the Universe, making up about 85% of its matter content. Astronomical and cosmological observations indicate that this elusive form of matter shaped the evolution of the Universe, leaving its imprint on the distribution of galaxies and large-scale cosmic structures. Now Simone Ammazzalorso at the University of Turin in Italy, Daniel Gruen at Stanford University in California, and colleagues have detected a signal that could allow scientists to shed light on the nature of dark matter [1]. Matching observations made by the Dark Energy Survey (DES) and the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT), the team found a significant cross correlation between the positions of gravitational lenses, which are thought to trace dark matter, and those of gamma-ray photons, which are potentially emitted when dark matter self-destructs. Although their data indicates that the cross correlation predominantly comes from another class of astrophysical objects, the possibility that it partly arises from dark matter remains open.