June 23, 2023 8-10PM

Event Type: Lecture and Stargazing
Title: Dark Matter: The Elusive Fibers of the Universe
Lecturer:Xuejian Shen
Position: PhD Student
Institution: Caltech
Abstract:
Scientists believe that most of the mass of the universe is composed of dark matter, a hypothetical material with no (or extremely weak) interactions with the normal matter we encounter in our daily lives. Despite being effectively invisible, dark matter is essential for the formation of large structures, like galaxies, in the universe. The fundamental nature of dark matter is one of the biggest question in modern physics. Could it be black holes? Could it be some new particles that have so far eluded detection in collider experiments? In this talk, I will discuss the compelling evidence for dark matter from astrophysical observations and introduce several hypotheses about the true nature of dark matter.