A different Big Bang: physicists have proposed a new theory regarding the origin of dark matter.

Dark matter is a mysterious invisible substance that is believed to hold galaxies together and prevent them from flying apart. It is also thought that dark matter played a crucial role in the formation of the very first galaxies. No one has ever seen dark matter directly, as its particles do not interact with light. The existence of this form of matter is known only through its gravitational interactions with ordinary matter. The authors of a new study published in the journal Physical Review D have carefully examined a theory proposed by other physicists last year. This theory suggests that dark matter emerged as a result of a second Big Bang, referred to as the Dark Big Bang, which occurred shortly after the birth of the Universe, reports Phys.

It is now believed that all matter in the Universe, including dark matter, originated from the Big Bang approximately 13.8 billion years ago, which marked the beginning of our Universe. The creation of matter began after the end of the cosmic inflation period, that is, the initial rapid expansion of space, when vacuum energy was transformed into a hot plasma of particles.

One of the greatest mysteries for astronomers and physicists remains the exact origin of dark matter. Evidence for the existence of dark matter has been observed through its gravitational influence on galaxies and galaxy clusters. Additionally, dark matter has left traces in the electromagnetic afterglow of the Big Bang, known as cosmic microwave background radiation.

Last year, a group of physicists proposed that dark matter, unlike ordinary matter, actually originated from the Dark Big Bang, which could have occurred a few months after the regular Big Bang. According to this theory, dark matter particles were formed from the decay of a quantum field that was initially in a metastable false vacuum state.

The authors of the new study have thoroughly examined the proposed arguments and suggested their clarification to the Dark Big Bang model. The scientists concluded that this theory could be valid, and the consequences of the Dark Big Bang could be detected through gravitational waves that arose from this event.

Physicists believe that future radio telescopes could detect these gravitational waves, which would serve as confirmation of the proposed theory regarding the origin of dark matter. According to the researchers, the background gravitational waves first detected last year may be related to the existence of the Dark Big Bang.

If this theory is confirmed, this discovery will extend far beyond dark matter, as it will offer a new perspective on the early history of the Universe and the origins of the forces that shaped its evolution.