Scientists have discovered some of the missing matter of the universe

This discovery made it possible in particular to reveal a part of the “missing matter” of the universe, which had not been observed until then.

The missing substance of the universe, quésaco?

Our galaxy is made of ordinary matter called “baryonic”, and it is made up of all the elements classified in the traditional periodic table. It also consists of so-called dark matter, the composition of which is still unknown. The problem is that about 80% of the supposed baryons that make up natural matter are already missing, and it’s impossible to notice them.

Galactic winds, a succession of starbursts, are already able to push this material away from its natural environment, towards a new galaxy. So we talk about lost items when it’s not possible to locate them.

technological feat

An international research team, led by the French side of the CNRS and Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University, has mapped for the first time one of these famous galactic winds, and with it the formation of a nebula located simultaneously in the emission and absorption of magnesium, part of the baryons missing from the universe.

This technological feat is made possible by the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE), a 3D wide-field spectrometer operating on the European Southern Observatory’s (ESO) Very Large Telescope installed in northern Chile ( Photo).

This unique observation makes it possible to understand where a missing part of the matter of the universe is, with the hope that you will be able to quickly observe other forms.