Unveiling the Invisible: Scientists Discover Universe's Missing Baryonic Matter Through Hydrogen Stacking
Key Ideas
- Scientists have located the missing baryonic matter, constituting half of the universe, in the form of invisible hydrogen outside galaxies.
- Using a method called 'stacking', researchers were able to make the diffuse and light hydrogen gas shine by analyzing the interaction of Cosmic Microwave Background light with gas.
- The discovery of massive hydrogen clouds around galaxies provides insights into galaxy formation, black hole activity, and halting star formation.
- This finding hints at more hidden matter within the cosmic web, expanding the understanding of the universe and opening new avenues for scientific exploration.
In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have finally located half of the universe's missing baryonic matter, which was hiding in plain sight outside galaxies in the form of invisible hydrogen. This finding, achieved through a method known as 'stacking', involved analyzing the interaction of light from the Cosmic Microwave Background with gas, revealing the elusive hydrogen that was previously undetectable due to its diffused and light nature. Researchers from the University of California and Lawrence Berkeley Lab studied 1 million red galaxies located 8 billion light years away, uncovering massive hydrogen clouds around each galaxy. These clouds, larger than anticipated, shed light on the origins of hydrogen in galaxies, with possibilities including absorption of gas from outside or expulsion by active black holes. The study also emphasized the significant influence of black holes on halting star formation through powerful winds expelled by their magnetic fields. The intermittent nature of this black hole activity, revealed by the presence of large hydrogen clouds around galaxies, offers valuable insights into galaxy formation and growth. Furthermore, the discovery hints at the existence of more hidden matter within the cosmic web, connecting galaxies. This revelation signifies a crucial advancement in understanding the universe's composition and presents new opportunities for unraveling its mysteries. The researchers view this as the start of a new chapter in exploring the universe and aim to integrate these findings to form a comprehensive understanding of the cosmos.