Dark Matter and Dark Energy: The Universe Beyond the Standard Model of Physics

Since the dawn of quantum mechanics and general relativity, physicists have pursued the “ultimate theory” that would explain the building blocks of the universe and their interactions. Efforts in both theory and experiment have yielded what is now called the Standard Model of particle physics. This model attempts to unify three out of four fundamental forces, and to classify all known matter into several types of so-called elementary particles. The Standard Model has survived all particle experiments and tests to date, but there is a number of physical phenomena that it still cannot successfully explain. Among these phenomena are the so-called dark matter and dark energy that occupy 95% of the universe. In this talk, I will describe the “discovery” of these exotic constituents of space, their roles in the formation of the large-scale structure and accelerated expansion of the universe, and the latest research about their detection and properties.

Ricky has a background in particle theory and is currently a PhD student researching theoretical cosmology. Prior to his current research project, Ricky studied a number of different areas including organometallic and quantum chemistry, biological and optical physics, and abstract algebra. He is also taking part in other projects related to EDI and positionality in physics.