A Cosmic Web Connecting the Universe Shapes Dark Matter in Galaxies, Study Finds

A Cosmic Web Connecting the Universe Shapes Dark Matter in Galaxies, Study Finds

2 years ago
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https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/v7djva/a-cosmic-web-connecting-the-universe-shapes-dark-matter-in-galaxies-study-finds

Our universe is connected by a cosmic web made of giant threads of dark matter and gas that stretch across millions of light years and intersect at “nodes” populated by dense clusters of galaxies. This vast network shapes the distribution and evolution of galaxies in fundamental ways that scientists are trying to unravel with ever-sharper observations and advanced simulations.

Now, a team led by Callum Donnan, a postgraduate student in astronomy at the University of Edinburgh, have identified a key correlation between the chemical makeup of galaxies and their location within the cosmic web. Using both real-life observations and computer simulations, the team found that “galaxies closer to nodes [display] higher chemical enrichment than those farther away,” a discovery that reveals some of the mysterious dynamics that link the universe, according to a study published on Monday in Nature Astronomy.