How heavy is a handful of dark matter? Zach from Reading

1/24/2018

Well Zach I'm afraid I'm not sure we can answer this one. Nobody knows what dark matter actually is let alone what it weighs! There are a few theories out there but no clear answer on the mass of dark matter. It might vary just like normal matter, or it might be super-heavy (like a neutron star, see your other question).

Measuring it in your hand would certainly be tricky. It would probably move straight through your hand – there would be no way to ‘hold’ it. It would have a ‘weight’ though as weight is just a measure of gravitational force, and we do know that dark matter interacts with gravity as does normal matter.

If you know where to get hold of a handful of dark matter let us know and we’ll work out how to weigh it!

- Ivan Teage

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Our team of Scientists...

Lydia Samuel
As Director of Blast Science and a Primary Science Teacher for more than 15 years, Lydia has answered unending questions about Science from hundreds of children for over a decade and has a wealth of Primary Science classroom experience. She has a particular passion for Wizard Science, Chocolate Science and all things Gross!

Tom Holloway
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Dr Sarah Newnham
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Dr Matt Edwards
Dr Matt decided to become a doctor when he ran out of his own scabs to pick. He used to work in Accident and Emergency in Brighton, pulling broken bones back into place and sewing up cuts. He now works in Brisbane, Australia as a Family doctor. This involves cutting out lots of funny lumps and sticking his fingers in every hole that people have. In his time he has been covered in every body juice you can think of, and once juggled with three hearts. Ask him anything about bodies and Gross Science.

Jonathan Brown
(Engineer at Ricardo) Had a strange fascination with all things mechanical from an early age and would often spend time 'fixing' his Dad's car without telling his Dad first. Rarely did it end happily, so of course he decided to continue this into a career than now spans almost 2 decades of designing engines for big names the world over. Having studied Mechanical Engineering at university he has been working since at a world leading technology consultancy, principally creating models and simulations of engines big and small for everyone from McLaren to Volvo. These days you're as likely to find him on a ship or looking at a tidal turbine, but it's still engines that keep him running.

Ivan Teage
Ivan is a experienced all-round scientist. He studied astrophysics after a childhood of being obsessed with going to the moon, and now works at the Natural History Museum in London using technology to explain Science to young and old audiences. Ivan is interested in the science of music and is keen to help people understand the natural world, how it works, and what it has to offer. He is looking forward to your questions about nature, space, music, sound & the meaning of life.

Alex Nicholls
With A-levels in Pure Maths, Applied Maths, Physics and Chemistry he went to Uni to read Nuclear Physics, but in the end switched to Law. He nevertheless retained a great interest in Science and has an encyclopedic general knowledge about nearly everything. Alex is also the linchpin of the Blast Science props dept but helps out answering complicated questions about Science for light relief from complicated carpentry.