Only 5% of the universe's mass is actually visible to us

Space · Published 31 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The stars, planets, and galaxies we see make up a tiny fraction of reality. Scientists are currently hunting for the invisible majority—dark matter—using ultra-sensitive sensors and massive underground accelerators to detect particles that refuse to reflect or absorb light.

Dark matter is one of physics' most profound mysteries because it does not interact with electromagnetic radiation; it neither reflects nor absorbs light. Despite its invisibility, scientists know it exists because of its gravitational influence, which shapes the motion of stars within galaxies and dictates the behavior of galaxies across the universe. Current estimates suggest that visible matter—everything from dust to planets—comprises only about 5% of the total mass of the universe. The remaining mass of the cosmos is a combination of dark matter and dark energy. This invisible substance remains one of science's most baffling questions.

To identify what makes up this missing mass, researchers are looking beyond the 'Standard Model,' the current framework describing known particles and forces. Because none of the particles in the Standard Model can account for dark matter, physicists like Javier Tiffenberg at Fermilab are exploring new detection technologies. One such method involves using skipper charge-coupled devices (CCDs), which act as ultrasensitive sensors capable of capturing elusive signals from dark matter particles. Tiffenberg explains how these specific sensors provide an entirely new way to observe the elusive particles. These tools are designed to be ultrasensitive for this purpose.

Simultaneously, international teams are utilizing high-energy environments to create and observe these particles. At the CERN Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland, Associate Professor Philip Ilten led a project called CODEX-b. This initiative used a custom detector built by students and engineers, installed deep underground within the accelerator's 17-mile loop. By hurling particles at nearly light speed, the team sought to capture data on long-lived particles that could provide evidence for new physics beyond our current understanding. The CODEX-b experiment recorded several weeks of data before a scheduled four-year upgrade began. This project served as a proof of concept for building even larger detectors.

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