Two researchers walk through an old mining tunnel to what is now the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, S.D., on Dec. 8, 2019. The laboratory houses a dark matter detector. Scientists have begun a new search for mysterious dark matter in a former gold mine a mile underground. Dark matter makes up the vast majority of the mass of the universe but scientists don't know what it is. Credit: AP Photo/Stephen Groves
Scientists are searching for dark matter inside a titanium tank filled with rare liquified gas in a former gold mine.
Most of the universe's mass is invisible, but scientists don't know what it is. One team was brought to the depths under Lead, South Dakota.
Kevin Lesko is a physicist at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. What is this place like? It's a mystery right now.
The idea is that a mile of dirt and rock, a giant tank, a second tank and the purest titanium in the world will block most of the rays and particles that come in and out of the universe. Scientists think that dark matter particles can be avoided. They hope one will fly into the vat of liquid xenon in the inner tank and smash into a xenon nucleus like two balls in a pool, revealing its existence in a flash of light seen by a device called the time projection chamber.
The five-year, $60 million search finally began two months ago after a delay caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic. The device has yet to find anything. No dark matter.
This photo provided by Sanford Underground Research Facility shows the LZ central detector in the clean room at Sanford Underground Research Facility after assembly, before beginning its journey underground in Lead, S.D. Scientists have begun a new search for mysterious dark matter in a former gold mine a mile underground. Dark matter makes up the vast majority of the mass of the universe but scientists don't know what it is. Credit: Matthew Kapust/Sanford Underground Research Facility via AP
They say that's okay. The equipment seems to be able to remove most of the background radiation. To find a rare type of interaction, the first thing to do is to get rid of all of the ordinary sources of radiation.
They think they will see a few fleeting signs of dark matter a year. The scientists think they will get 20 times more data over the next two years.
Hugh Lippincott, a physicist and spokesman for the experiment, said in a Thursday news conference that the chance of finding dark matter with this device is less than half.
This photo provided by Sanford Underground Research Facility shows the LZ Outer Detector, used to veto radioactivity that can mimic a dark matter signal in Lead, S.D. Scientists have begun a new search for mysterious dark matter in a former gold mine a mile underground. Dark matter makes up the vast majority of the mass of the universe but scientists don't know what it is. Credit: Matthew Kapust/Sanford Underground Research Facility via AP
Lesko said that you need a little enthusiasm. You don't go into rare search physics without a chance to find something.
Two hulking Depression-era hoists run an elevator that brings scientists to a research facility. There is a tunnel with cool-to-the-touch walls. The old musty mine leads to a high tech lab where dirt andContamination is the enemy. A double layer of baby blue booties go over steel-toed safety boots when helmets are exchanged.
Lead engineer Jeff Cherwinka said in a December tour that the cryostat is the heart of the experiment. He described it as a thermos made of titanium that was designed to keep the liquid xenon cold.
This photo provided by Sanford Underground Research Facility shows members of the LZ team in the LZ water tank after the outer detector installation in Lead, S.D. Scientists have begun a new search for mysterious dark matter in a former gold mine a mile underground. Dark matter makes up the vast majority of the mass of the universe but scientists don't know what it is. Credit: Matthew Kapust/Sanford Underground Research Facility via AP
"Xen is special because it allows researchers to see if a collision is with one of its electrons or with its nucleus." He said that the dark matter that everyone is looking for is the nucleus.
The scientists tried a smaller experiment a long time ago. They thought they had to go bigger. There is a large-scale experiment going on in Italy but no results have been announced.
Scientists are trying to understand why the universe doesn't seem right.
Dark matter has a lot of the mass in the universe. Astronomers know it's there because they find that there isn't enough gravity to hold these clusters together. The universe would be quickly flying apart if nothing else was out there.
Researchers at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, S.D., discuss conditions on Dec. 8, 2019 at the underground laboratory that was once used as a gold mine. Scientists have begun a new search for mysterious dark matter in a former gold mine a mile underground. Dark matter makes up the vast majority of the mass of the universe but scientists don't know what it is. Credit: AP Photo/Stephen Groves
Aaron Manalaysay, the physics coordinator of Lawrence Berkeley National Lab's experiment, explains how the underground detector will interact with dark matter in the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, S.D., on Dec. 8, 2019. Scientists have begun a new search for mysterious dark matter in a former gold mine a mile underground. Dark matter makes up the vast majority of the mass of the universe but scientists don't know what it is. Credit: AP Photo/Stephen Groves
Aaron Manalaysay, the physics coordinator of Lawrence Berkeley National Lab's experiment, explains how the underground detector will interact with dark matter in the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, S.D., on Dec. 8, 2019. Scientists have begun a new search for mysterious dark matter in a former gold mine a mile underground. Dark matter makes up the vast majority of the mass of the universe but scientists don't know what it is. Credit: AP Photo/Stephen Groves
A lab worker wearing a full-body suit to avoid contaminating the dark matter detector works in the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, S.D., on Dec. 8, 2019. Scientists have begun a new search for mysterious dark matter in a former gold mine a mile underground. Dark matter makes up the vast majority of the mass of the universe but scientists don't know what it is. Credit: AP Photo/Stephen Groves
A lab worker wearing a full-body suit to avoid contaminating the dark matter detector works in the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, S.D., on Dec. 8, 2019. Scientists have begun a new search for mysterious dark matter in a former gold mine a mile underground. Dark matter makes up the vast majority of the mass of the universe but scientists don't know what it is. Credit: AP Photo/Stephen Groves
Researchers at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, S.D., discuss conditions on Dec. 8, 2019 at the underground laboratory that was once used as a gold mine. Scientists have begun a new search for mysterious dark matter in a former gold mine a mile underground. Dark matter makes up the vast majority of the mass of the universe but scientists don't know what it is. Credit: AP Photo/Stephen Groves
Aaron Manalaysay, the physics coordinator of Lawrence Berkeley National Lab's experiment, explains how the underground detector will interact with dark matter in the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, S.D., on Dec. 8, 2019. Scientists have begun a new search for mysterious dark matter in a former gold mine a mile underground. Dark matter makes up the vast majority of the mass of the universe but scientists don't know what it is. Credit: AP Photo/Stephen Groves
It is not possible to understand history without dark matter.
The physicist said "we would not be here without dark matter."
There is a lot of doubt about what dark matter is. There is a theory that it involves weakly interacting massive particles.
LUX-ZEPLIN could be able to detect them. We want to find out where the wimps are hiding.
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