What is the nature of dark matter and dark energy?

Dark matter and dark energy are two of the biggest mysteries in modern astrophysics. Dark matter was first proposed to explain the gravitational effects on galaxies that cannot be accounted for by the visible matter in them. According to current estimates, about 85% of the matter in the universe is made up of dark matter, while visible matter makes up only about 15%.

Despite years of research, scientists still do not know what dark matter is made of. It is thought to be composed of particles that do not interact with light or any other form of electromagnetic radiation, making them impossible to detect directly. However, scientists have detected the gravitational effects of dark matter on visible matter, which is how they know it exists.

Dark energy, on the other hand, is thought to be responsible for the observed accelerated expansion of the universe. Unlike dark matter, it is not a type of matter, but rather a form of energy that permeates all of space. It is believed to be a property of space itself, rather than arising from any known particle or field.

Just like dark matter, the nature of dark energy is still a mystery. Scientists have proposed several theories to explain its existence, including the possibility of a cosmological constant or a scalar field that pervades space.

Despite the lack of understanding about dark matter and dark energy, their existence has been inferred through a variety of observational and theoretical methods, and they continue to be the subject of intense study and research in the fields of cosmology and astrophysics.