Scientists have theorized the existence of axions as a solution to dark matter, which constitutes most of the universe's mass. A team from Harvard and King's College London has moved closer to confirming axions using quasiparticles. This innovative approach opens new pathways not only for dark matter detection but also for developing advanced quantum technologies. Nobel laureate Frank Wilczek acknowledges this work as a critical advancement, suggesting that axions may become integral components of new scientific discoveries.
Axion quasiparticles are simulations of axion particles, which can be further used as a detector of actual particles. If a dark matter axion hits our material, it excites the quasiparticle, and, by detecting this reaction, we can confirm the presence of the dark matter axion.
The jury is still out on the existence of axions as fundamental particles that beautify the basic equations of physics and provide the cosmological dark matter. But now, thanks to these ingenious new experiments, we know for sure that Nature makes use of the underlying ideas.
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