A cosmic failure leading to dark matter is discovered

An international group of scientists, with the leading role of Chinese researchers, found a noticeable dip in the detector of dark matter particles of the energies of electrons and antielectrons coming from outer space in the region of about 0.9 teraelectronvolts. This can indicate either annihilation or the decay of particles of dark matter. The corresponding article was published in Nature.

The authors used in their work the data of the Dark Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE), a Chinese space telescope that records, in particular, cosmic rays, among them high-energy electrons and antielectrons that come to the solar system from beyond its limits. They were able to analyze for the first time with a high accuracy the distribution of these particles in energy in the range from 25 gigaelectronvolts to 4.6 teraelectronvolts. It turned out that particles with an energy of 0.9 teraelectronvolt are observed less than they should be, starting from the normal distribution.
It should be understood that such a failure can not be an accidental phenomenon. To make it happen, it is necessary that the particles of dark matter in the course of their life cycle decay and affect the energy distribution, “turning off” part of the particles. Thus, although the probe does not confirm the existence of dark matter, it indicates processes that may be the result of the decay of its particles.
At the same time, it should be noted that so far almost all attempts to detect particles of dark matter have yielded nothing. There are hypotheses that offer an alternative to dark matter, refer to observed facts, explained with its help on the part of relic gravitational waves or other processes. The question is crucial for all modern physics: in the current interpretation, dark matter by mass is at times more than usual, so it is extremely important for scientists to understand what it consists of and how it affects the ordinary, of which all planets, stars and living things are composed. Earlier, a group of Russian scientists suggested that particles of dark matter in theory may be responsible for a significant part of the cancer diseases to which the inhabitants of the earth are exposed.