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Scientists Find Even More Galaxies in the Universe Without Any Dark Matter

The new research may have dramatic implications for theories about both dark matter and galaxy formation.

ByJake Parks
Dwarf galaxy NGC 5477, seen here in this image from Hubble, is like most galaxies: It has much more dark matter than regular matter. But the recent discovery of 19 dwarf galaxies missing most of their dark matter may force astronomers to reconsider how such galaxies form in the first place.Credit: Hubble/ESA/NASA

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Astronomers have discovered 19 more galaxies missing their dark matter. Instead of dark matter, these strange galaxies are mainly filled with regular matter, like the protons, neutrons, and electrons that make up everything we're familiar with.

The new find, published November 26 in Nature Astronomy, bolsters the controversial recent discovery of two other galaxies without dark matter. The mysterious substance accounts for most matter in the universe, and it's thought to be the primary component of all galaxies — as well as the main driver of galaxy formation in the first place. So, finding so many galaxies without the exotic matter suggests astronomers are missing something major about how galaxies form and evolve.

"This result is very hard to explain using the standard galaxy formation model," said lead author Qi Guo of the Chinese Academy of Science in a press release, "and thus encourages people to revisit the nature of ...

  • Jake Parks

    Jake Parks is a freelance science writer and editor for Discover Magazine, who covers everything from the mysteries of the cosmos to the latest in medical research.

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