NOTE: Thanks to everyone who joined our discussion. AN INDEX OF QUESTIONS is listed below.

SCIENTISTS HAVE LONG KNOWN about dark matter, a mysterious substance that neither emits nor absorbs light. But despite decades of searching, they have not yet detected dark matter particles.

With ten times the sensitivity of previous detectors, three recently funded dark matter experiments – the Axion Dark Matter eXperiment Gen 2, LUX-ZEPLIN and the Super Cryogenic Dark Matter Search at SNOLAB – have scientists crossing their fingers that they may finally glimpse these long-sought particles.

On November 20, scientists on ADMX, LUX-ZEPLIN and SuperCDMS debated how close we are to identifying dark matter, discussed the status of their experiments, and answered your questions.





About the Participants (left to right)

ENECTALI FIGUEROA-FELICIANO - Dr. Figueroa-Feliciano is a member of the SuperCDMS collaboration and an associate professor of physics at the MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research.

- Dr. Figueroa-Feliciano is a member of the SuperCDMS collaboration and an associate professor of physics at the MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research. HARRY NELSON - Dr. Nelson is the science lead for the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment and is a professor of physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

- Dr. Nelson is the science lead for the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment and is a professor of physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara. GRAY RYBKA - Dr. Rybka leads the ADMX Gen 2 experiment as a co-spokesperson and is a research assistant professor of physics at the University of Washington.

- Dr. Rybka leads the ADMX Gen 2 experiment as a co-spokesperson and is a research assistant professor of physics at the University of Washington. KELEN TUTTLE (moderator) – Ms. Tuttle is a freelance journalist with more than a decade of experience in science communications.

New Dark Matter Experiments Prepare to Hunt the Invisible Learn more about the hunt for dark matter in an earlier discussion with Enectali Figueroa-Feliciano, Harry Nelson and Gray Rybka in which they discuss preparations for their upcoming dark matter experiments and the likelihood that one of them will strike gold.

Your Questions

On November 20, scientists from the Super Cryogenic Dark Matter project, the LZ Dark Matter Experiment and the Axion Dark Matter eXperiment debate how close we are to identifying dark matter and discuss the status of their experiments.