The only thing we know about dark energy is that it constitutes the biggest part of the mass and energy in the universe. As in 1998, we found out that the atoms and everything visible to the human eye represents only a modest portion of the entirety of the universe. The fundamental hypothesis says that dark matter, due to its intangible characteristics, repels any other form of matter, pushing it away, therefore leading to the expansion of the universe.
Physicists have long been seeking to explain the behavior of dark energy but the only possible way to achieve that is by studying it in its natural condition. Although in our current era the idea is far-fetched, it is believed that its characteristics can be measured if we could reach it and observe it in the low-density areas that is outside of the galaxies.
Countless of times, physicists tried to recreate on our planet the conditions that is thought to be present in intergalactic areas. By doing this, they have attempted to generate a chameleon particle field – one that will apply a powerful force on matter while the density that surrounds it declines.
Adequately, theorists named dark energy particles chameleons, and proposed that they differ in mass and they directly influence the state of the surrounding matter.After many attempts, the existence of a chameleon field has not yet been proved and it still remains just a theory, but various teams of scientists continue their quest for the incomprehensible field.
Another way to explain why dark energy is so difficult to study is because it is hypothesized that as soon as the chameleon field comes close to an object its particles do not couple with the internal parts of the object, but pushes it away.
The main issues of the testing dark matter in a lab is represented by the fact that the chameleon field is considerably less powerful than that of the gravity field of Earth. One potential solution is for the test to be repeated on the International Space Station, away from the gravity field of our planet.
Not only NASA is testing dark matter these days, experiments take place at CERN in Geneva, so far without luck. However, alternative tests such as those using neutron interferometers might lead to the evidence of the chameleon field. As physicists improve the condition of their experiments, by ruling out other particle energies that might influence their studies, they will soon might confirm the existence of chameleons.
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