Quote (Kamikizzle @ Jan 7 2010 08:41pm)
its a proposed substance to explain some peculiar inconsistancies with our current gravitation model. for instance, weve observed that distant galaxies spin far too fast for the amount of visible matter they contain. suppose theyd need 10 times more matter than what we calculate they have, in order to rotate as fast as they do. thus, we suspect there is a "dark matter" halo around the galaxy (which we cannot currently detect, hence the name) that makes up this extra needed matter that causes it to rotate at the observed speed.
basically wires down to this: our current gravitation model is incorrect, or there is a dark matter substance that we currently have not detected.
This basically hits it on the head. Also they can determine how much mass is in a region of space by how the light bends etc. They are finding spots where light bends, but there is no galaxy or stars verify the mass. I'm not very sure on Dark Energy, but isn't it theorized to be a type of anti gravity?? I remember hearing that some galaxies that are close together should be accelerating toward each other at faster rates, but something is preventing that.... not sure tho.