We owe our existence to dark matter (also)

[1over137]

Can you guess why? (later, I'll give a hint)

[RickD]

Can you guess why? (later, I'll give a hint)

What is Dark Matter?
Simply put, dark matter cannot be seen by astronomers with telescopes. It doesn't emit or reflect enough light to detect, so it's not bright, like a star. Atoms, molecules and subatomic particles are dark matter. You and I are dark matter. Everything on Earth is dark matter. Planets, brown dwarf stars and black holes are dark matter. Basically, dark matter cannot be seen -- scientists can only estimate where it is based on gravitational effects on what they can see.

http://science.howstuffworks.com/dictio ... matter.htm

[1over137]

What is Dark Matter?
Simply put, dark matter cannot be seen by astronomers with telescopes. It doesn't emit or reflect enough light to detect, so it's not bright, like a star. Atoms, molecules and subatomic particles are dark matter. You and I are dark matter. Everything on Earth is dark matter. Planets, brown dwarf stars and black holes are dark matter. Basically, dark matter cannot be seen -- scientists can only estimate where it is based on gravitational effects on what they can see.

http://science.howstuffworks.com/dictio ... matter.htm

What? Atoms are dark matter? I am dark matter? Let's work with this definition of dark matter (wikipedia):

"In astronomy and cosmology, dark matter is a type of matter hypothesized to account for a large part of the total mass in the universe. Dark matter cannot be seen directly with telescopes; evidently it neither emits nor absorbs light or other electromagnetic radiation at any significant level.[1] Instead, its existence and properties are inferred from its gravitational effects on visible matter, radiation, and the large scale structure of the universe. Dark matter is estimated to constitute 84% of the matter in the universe and 23% of the mass-energy.[2]"

"Study of nucleosynthesis in the Big Bang produces an upper bound on the amount of baryonic matter in the universe,[10] which indicates that the vast majority of dark matter in the universe cannot be baryons, and thus does not form atoms."

Next try, Rick.

[RickD]

Hana, are you referring to homochirality?

[1over137]

Hana, are you referring to homochirality?

What dark matter has to do with homochirality?

[RickD]

Hana, are you referring to homochirality?

What dark matter has to do with homochirality?

And you call yourself a physicist?
What kind of cheap, penny ante physicist doesn't know the relationship between dark matter and homochirality?

[1over137]

Hana, are you referring to homochirality?

What dark matter has to do with homochirality?

And you call yourself a physicist?
What kind of cheap, penny ante physicist doesn't know the relationship between dark matter and homochirality?

Teach poor physicist, what that connection is

[RickD]

See if you understand what this is saying:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/14709773/

[1over137]

From that article:

"Rosen (91) has recently proposed yet another mechanism for the generation of chiral molecules. He suggests that they arise as a result of cold dark matter’s effects on normal matter such as that in the galactic halo regions to produce an asymmetrical distribution of electron states. These states have been shown by Hegstrom (92) to produce molecular homochirality in a pronounced manner through electromagnetic interactions."

So, ok Rick. But I had something different on mind. Hint: few hundred thousand years after the big bang

[RickD]

Hana, are you talking about how the universe cooled enough to allow stars, and galaxies to begin to form? Are you saying that dark matter was what cooled the universe?

[1over137]

Hana, are you talking about how the universe cooled enough to allow stars, and galaxies to begin to form? Are you saying that dark matter was what cooled the universe?

Dark matter did not cool the universe. The universe cooled down when expanding. But what I have on mind has to do really with galaxy formation.