How to Know the Universe from a Hole in the Ground

          @misc{ pirsa_PIRSA:09080023,
            doi = {},
            url = {https://pirsa.org/09080023},
            author = {Jillings, Christopher},
            keywords = {Particle Physics},
            language = {en},
            title = {How to Know the Universe from a Hole in the Ground},
            publisher = {Perimeter Institute},
            year = {2009},
            month = {aug},
            note = {PIRSA:09080023 see, \url{https://pirsa.org}}
          }
          

Abstract

We understand the history of our universe very well but remain ignorant on one key question: what is most of the universe actually made of? Beautiful measurements, by satellites, balloon-basted observatories, the Hubble telescope and ground-based telescopes have allowed us to accurately trace this history of the history of the ordinary matter we are made of. Yet these measurements also show us that most of the universe is dark - that is to say it cannot be seen visibly no matter how bright a light is shone on it. I will discuss why we think that 95% of the universe is dark and will show how we are trying to directly observe dark matter. I will explain what it is like to do science underground and why we need to be so deep to make these measurements.