Gold and DNA Combine Could Be Dark Matter Detector

But a few strands of DNA could help in solving the mystery of dark matter.  A team of physicists and biologists aim to build a directional dark matter detector using strands of DNA and gold. 

Years and years of experiments put in by scientists to untangle the mystery of the Milky Way galaxy has never been rewarding. The Milky Way that constitutes nearly 84 % of dark matter is strange as we have no idea what it is as it still remains mysterious.

But a few strands of DNA could help in solving the mystery of dark matter.  A team of physicists and biologists aim to build a directional dark matter detector using strands of DNA and gold.

 The dark matter accounts for the mass of the universe. Its existence is inferred from its gravitational influence on visible matter and structure of the universe. There were models that said that the dark matter exerts itself on the galaxy clusters and blankets around the earth like sea.

The astrophysicist Katherine Freese from University of Michigan and geneticist George Church from Harvard said they are overcoming the challenges of detecting dark matter by using DNA to find the dark matter particles known as WIMPs (weakly interacting massive particle).

WIMPs are very similar to the neutrinos as they do not absorb or emit electromagnetic radiation and they don't carry a charge. They are able to pass straight through normal matter most of the time. Dark matter WIMPs are far less common.

The detector created by them consists of a thin gold sheet with many single stands of DNA hanging from it. According the theory proposed by them, the dark matter will smash into the heavy gold nucleus pushing it out of the gold sheet and through into the DNA hitting the stands as it travels. These strands have an identifier showing where they were located on the gold sheet, And this makes it easier for the researchers to reconstruct the path of thousands of these sheets placed between the Mylar sheet.  If a dark matter particle hits a gold nucleus in on direction, it will propel it into the DNA forest. If it strikes in the other direction, it will head straight into the Mylar sheet and be absorbed.

This detector has a set of challenges before it and the team is trying to overcome all these challenges.