What is dark matter?

[Galindo]

Dark matter, also referred to as dark energy. We know it exists, but what could it possibly be? Please share your thoughts, and I will share mine.

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What if dark matter(dark energy) is dark thoughts. These dark thoughts are created by us, humans.

[Janus]

Dark matter and dark energy are two different things. Dark matter is matter that does not react electromagnetically, and thus does not absorb, reflect or emit light or any other part of the electromagnetic spectrum. We have some ideas for candidates for dark matter, but but as of yet haven't discovered the actual culprit.

 

Dark energy is a term used for whatever is causing the apparent acceleration of the Universe. In this case, the label "dark" just means "unknown".

 

The "dark thoughts" statement is just too silly for serious comment.

[Galindo]

Dark matter and dark energy are two different things. Dark matter is matter that does not react electromagnetically, and thus does not absorb, reflect or emit light or any other part of the electromagnetic spectrum. We have some ideas for candidates for dark matter, but but as of yet haven't discovered the actual culprit.

 

Dark energy is a term used for whatever is causing the apparent acceleration of the Universe. In this case, the label "dark" just means "unknown".

 

The "dark thoughts" statement is just too silly for serious comment.

 

Ok, we have a brain that is largely electric. If we are electric this must mean we are able to give off something, energy. Correct?

[mooeypoo]

Ok, we have a brain that is largely electric. If we are electric this must mean we are able to give off something, energy. Correct?

Not really. First off, the brain isn't "largely electric". It's true that the signals between neurons are electric in nature, but they're *tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiny*.

 

Bottom line, there was never anything detected as emitted from our heads, bodies or brains that is remotely close to be defined as any sort of "energy".

 

That are some devices that are claimed to intercept some signal, but they are still in the development stages, are not yet proven to work, and require close contact with a (shaven) skull.

 

 

 

 

That said, this has absolutely NOTHING to do with dark matter, which exists in the farther reaches of our universe and not in our mind.

[michel123456]

I am amazed from the gap between the question (What is dark matter?) and the proposed answer (we have a brain that is largely electric).

 

Από την πόλη έρχομαι και στην κορφή κανέλα

(I come from town and cinammon on top).... pure incoherence

Edited January 20, 2010 by michel123456

[mooeypoo]

I am amazed from the gap between the question (What is dark matter?) and the proposed answer (we have a brain that is largely electric).

 

Από την πόλη έρχομαι και στην κορφή κανέλα

(I come from town and cinammon on top).... pure incoherence

That isn't the proposed answer, that is mid-debate clarification, along with a note to continue on topic.

 

Quite frankly, michel, this note didn't help to stir the debate back on topic either. If you don't have anything useful to post, don't.

[ajb]

Dark matter, also referred to as dark energy.

 

As already stated we think the two phenomena are not directly related. Nor do we think it is directly related to the inflationary period of the early universe, the energy scales involved are different. It is not thought the inflaton field that caused the inflationary epoch is responsible for the current inflation.

[Galindo]

I don't see how this idea is silly. Humans can give off energy, but we cannot visibly see this energy.

[Mr Skeptic]

What if dark matter(dark energy) is dark thoughts. These dark thoughts are created by us, humans.

 

Then what you mean by dark matter(dark energy) is completely different than what any scientists means by it.

[Janus]

I don't see how this idea is silly. Humans can give off energy, but we cannot visibly see this energy.

 

The ability to visibly see it is not the point. Any electromagnetic energy emitted by the brain can still be detected.

 

 

And then there are the numbers involved. Given the total power usage of a human brain multiplied by the population of the Earth you get about 2e11 watts. This is less than 1/16 of the total energy used just by the US, and some 870,000 times less than what the Earth receives from the Sun.

 

Considering that the Earth intercepts just a small fraction of the Sun's output, and the Sun is just one of hundreds of billions in our galaxy alone, and that dark energy is estimated to make up over 70% of the Universe, one can see that any energy emitted by the human brain is insignificant compared to what is needed to explain dark energy.

[Galindo]

So what are some of the assumptions of what it is?

[Mr Skeptic]

Dark matter itself is an assumption. It is the proposed solution to a discrepancy between what we see and what we "should" see based on what we know of gravitation. It might not even exist (but even so, the data on where and how much of it there supposedly is, would be very useful for making new theories).

 

The most popular proposal are WIMPs (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles).

[mooeypoo]

I don't see how this idea is silly. Humans can give off energy, but we cannot visibly see this energy.

If something is proposed to exist but it cannot be detected by any machinery, and it has no effect on its surroundings, how do you distinguish between it existing and not existing?

 

The electrical signals of our brains are detected by machinery through contact with the skin. If you go 10 cm above and around your head, you can no longer intercept anything.

 

 

 

We didn't say it was a stupid idea, we explained why it's not a valid statement to equate "Dark Matter" with "Thoughts".