JWST produces sharpest map of dark matter yet
Mar 20th 2026
Using subtle distortions in 250,000 background galaxies across a field slightly larger than the full moon, JWST produced a dark matter map about twice as detailed as Hubble’s and revealed previously unseen structures dominated by dark matter.
- Researchers led by Jacqueline McCleary used JWST gravitational lensing of about 250,000 galaxies to map dark matter.
- The new map has roughly twice the resolution of previous Hubble maps and reaches structures farther from Earth.
- It reveals galaxy clusters and cosmic web filaments, including regions with little visible matter that are likely dominated by dark matter.
- Initial comparisons broadly match the standard lambda-CDM model, while detailed analyses are still underway.
- The dataset will help constrain cosmological parameters, probe dark matter properties, and link galaxies to their dark matter haloes.
Articles
- Is our galaxy’s black hole actually made of dark matter? www.newscientist.com
- A huge cloud of dark matter may be lurking near our solar system www.newscientist.com
- The best map of dark matter has revealed never-before-seen structures www.newscientist.com
- Why we only recently discovered space is dark not bright www.newscientist.com
- Inside the best dark matter detector ever built www.newscientist.com
- Inside world's ultimate X-ray machine before it becomes more powerful www.newscientist.com
- We might have just seen the first hints of dark matter www.newscientist.com
- We can use ordinary sugar in the search for dark matter www.newscientist.com
- Hints of exotic dark matter particles could be hiding in LHC data www.newscientist.com
- What it’s like to run the world’s best dark matter detector www.newscientist.com
- Jupiter's moon Ganymede could be a giant dark matter detector www.newscientist.com
- Mysterious dark matter seen in new map of distant galaxies www.cbsnews.com