Physicists have found a potential signature of dark matter in data from a black hole merger observed in 2019. The signal known as GW190728 showed patterns consistent with the invisible substance interacting with the colliding objects. A new model developed by researchers at MIT and partner institutions made the analysis possible.
The team examined 28 clear gravitational wave events from the first three observing runs of the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA network. Twenty-seven signals matched expectations for mergers in empty space, but GW190728 stood out. The researchers suggest the black holes may have passed through a dense dark matter cloud before colliding, altering the resulting spacetime ripples.