Chinese, Italian Scientists Find Possible Trace of Dark MatterA research group composed of both Chinese and Italian scientists have found what they believe to be traces of dark matter, announced the Chinese Academy of Sciences ( CAS) Tuesday in Beijing.Four scientists from the Institute of High Energy Physics under the CAS and some experts from the University of Rome drew the conclusion from their observations in a DAMA (Dark Matter) laboratory, 1,000 meters underground in Gran Sasso, Italy. In recent experiments, they used a large piece of crystal to catch the reflection of movement of dark matter particles, and succeeded in finding a trace which might prove the existence of dark matter. Scientists believe that more than 90 percent of matter in space is dark matter, but proving this is a major challenge because dark matter does not emit or absorb light. The result from the DAMA lab has attracted attention of scientists the world over. Physicists at Stanford University in the US attempted the same experiment but failed to find similar evidence. Experts from the international high-energy physics circle said that more data should be obtained from further experiments before any concrete conclusion can be drawn about the existence of dark matter. While continuing to cooperate with Italian scientists in this field, the institute of High Energy Physics is also going to build observation equipment in China to carry out its own experiments in the search for dark matter. |
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