Detect dark matter on Earth, I make it my own words by the physicist Marco Selvi of the National Institute of Nuclear Physics in Bologna, it's a bit like trying to hear the whisper of a child in a crowded stadium. China's new underground laboratory in the Jinping Mountains just opened a few ears. Surpassing Italy's Gran Sasso National Laboratory in size and depth, the Chinese facility is now the largest in the world. Its 4-ton xenon detector aims to unravel one of the greatest mysteries in contemporary physics.
A cutting-edge underground laboratory
Il Jinping China Underground Laboratory (CJPL) it is an extraordinary engineering achievement, and a qualitative leap in the field of particle physics. Located approximately 2377 meters (7.800 feet) underground and well protected from cosmic ray interference, it provides ideal conditions for high-precision studies.
The mystery of dark matter
La dark matter it's a concept that has fascinated and challenged the scientific community for decades. Although its existence is inferred from astronomical and cosmological observations, dark matter does not interact with light or any other form of electromagnetic radiation, making it invisible to our traditional detection instruments. This “enigma” constitutes more than 80% of the total mass of the universe and plays a crucial role in the formation and structure of galaxies.
To help you understand the transition: CJPL has made a significant technological leap by going from a 120kg (264 lb) liquid xenon detector to a 4 metric ton one. This evolution represents a notable improvement in detector sensitivity. Scientists hope that dark matter particles, interacting with xenon atoms, can produce a detectable signal in the form of light, which the underground detector's photosensors can capture.
The future of dark matter research
Despite technological advancement, dark matter remains a mystery. The CJPL, with its new capabilities, is at the forefront of the global search for this elusive component of the universe. However, as pointed out by the physicist Ning Zhou from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, “we still have a lot of work to do.” The road to understanding dark matter is long and complex, but the CJPL marks an important step in this exciting scientific quest.
Be careful, it's not just a question of scientific curiosity. Dark matter has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of the universe and its fundamental laws. While the world eagerly awaits further discoveries from the CJPL, this underground laboratory is already listening.
