Researchers have captured the first images of a Dark Matter web
Dark matter makes up 25% of the known, and unknown, universe but very little is known about it, however bit by bit it's giving up it's mysteries.
Key takeaways
- The composite image, which combines a number of individual images, confirms predictions that galaxies across the universe are tied together through a cosmic web connected by dark matter that has until now remained unobservable.
- The effect was measured in images from a multi-year sky survey at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope.
- Results show the dark matter filament bridge is strongest between systems less than 40 million light years apart.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2017) 'Researchers have captured the first images of a Dark Matter web', 311 Institute, 26 April. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/researchers-captured-the-first-images-of-a-dark-matter-web/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
Researchers at the University of Waterloo have captured the first composite image of a dark matter “bridge” that connects two distant galaxies together, and they’ve published their work in a new paper in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
The composite image, which combines a number of individual images, confirms predictions that galaxies across the universe are tied together through a cosmic web connected by dark matter that has until now remained unobservable.
Dark matter, a mysterious substance that comprises around 25 per cent of the universe, doesn't shine, absorb or reflect light, which has traditionally made it largely undetectable, that said though, earlier this year a team of researchers from Yale University managed to use gravity to map the world’s first dark matter map, and last year another team of researchers used a supercomputer to try to conclude what particles it’s made from.
"For decades, researchers have been predicting the existence of dark matter filaments between galaxies that act like a web like superstructure connecting galaxies together," said Mike Hudson, a professor of astronomy at the University of Waterloo, "this image moves us beyond predictions to something we can see and measure."
As part of their research, Hudson and co-author Seth Epps, a master's student at the University of Waterloo at the time, used a technique called weak gravitational lensing, an effect that causes the images of distant galaxies to warp slightly under the influence of an unseen mass such as a planet, a black hole, or in this case, dark matter. The effect was measured in images from a multi-year sky survey at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope.
They combined lensing images from more than 23,000 galaxy pairs located 4.5 billion light-years away to create a composite image or map that shows the presence of dark matter between the two galaxies. Results show the dark matter filament bridge is strongest between systems less than 40 million light years apart.
"By using this technique, we're not only able to see that these dark matter filaments in the universe exist, we're able to see the extent to which these filaments connect galaxies together," said Epps.
What this means for your organisation
Weak signals add up to proof.
No single image showed the dark matter bridge. The team stacked lensing data from more than 23,000 galaxy pairs into one composite. Leaders in sensing and analytics should note how pooling many weak signals can reveal what one measurement cannot.
Prediction becomes measurement.
Hudson says the work moves the cosmic web beyond predictions to something that can be seen and measured. Once a structure can be measured, it can be modelled and tested. Research teams should look for theories in their own fields that new imaging could now test.
Imaging advances travel across sectors.
Methods built to see hidden mass sit alongside tools such as muon imaging, which looks inside shipping containers using cosmic rays. Firms in security, logistics and materials should scan astronomy and physics for imaging methods they can borrow.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- Which hidden risks in our business could pooled weak signals reveal?
- Do we scan academic research for imaging methods we could adopt?
- Which of our key assumptions rest on prediction rather than measurement?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
Dark matter makes up 25% of the known, and unknown, universe but very little is known about it, however bit by bit it's giving up it's mysteries.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder, President and Futurist of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Sources and further reading
- Gravitational lens en.wikipedia.org
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 26 April 2017. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2017). Researchers have captured the first images of a Dark Matter web. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/researchers-captured-the-first-images-of-a-dark-matter-web/
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