Dark Forces Twisted the Light from the Past ⚡ экспресс
Data from the ACT telescope reveals that the polarization of the relic radiation is twisted by 0.215° — a cosmic birefringence effect, much like how sugar syrup rotates the polarization of light. This twisting may stem from photons interacting with dark matter or dark energy. The finding aligns with WMAP and Planck data, though systematic uncertainties prevent a final verdict. It paves the way to hunting for new physics beyond the Standard Model.
Light from the Big Bang is not just a ray. Its wave oscillates in a plane, like a trembling ribbon stretched across the universe. Usually, this ribbon doesn’t change direction over billions of years of travel. But ACT data showed: the polarization plane of the cosmic microwave background has rotated by 0.2 degrees — as if an unseen wind twisted it.
The culprit could be dark matter or dark energy — mysterious entities that make up almost the entire cosmos yet emit no light. Their fields, according to the hypothesis, can slowly rotate light. A similar twist was earlier spotted by WMAP and Planck satellites, strengthening the suspicion.
The effect lies outside the Standard Model — our best description of the microworld. Scientists are cautious: measurements have noise. But three independent instruments see the same thing. If confirmed, we’ll touch the invisible foundation of the cosmos for the first time.
🎯 A 0.2-degree twist is like walking from Earth to the Moon and deviating from a straight line by just the thickness of a human hair.