Quote:
Originally Posted by Istlota
And, then, we must add, nobody yet knows what Dark Matter is, other than the universe is full of it. If Dark Matter is to be considered matter, then the universe is not even close to being any sort of vacuum at all.
As with God, it is impossible to directly prove the existence [i.e., to physically measure] Dark Matter. As with God, we know Dark Matter exists because we can measure, not Dark Matter, but rather its attributes [neters?].
And, hence, from indirectly measuring its effects on the universe, we know that Dark Matter is, as with God, omnipresent.
Interestingly enough, this "stuff" we are calling Dark Matter literally attracts the entire universe to it, just as Dravidian rooted religions say Brahman will, one day, draw the entire universe back into Itself.
The Nature of Dark Matter - Introduction |
Dark matter does make up a hell of a lot more mass of the Universe than the other groups of matter; however, this mass takes up basically what we've seen in the observable universe. Dark Energy poses a bigger threat (along with cosmic noise particles). I still think in the vast reaches of space or at some insanely small scale a perfect vacuum can exist. It may not be sustained for very long but it seems possible to me.
Also it maybe worth mentioning the theory about average matter density and the possibility of exceeding critical density and its implications of the expansion of the universe (in terms of the gravitational presence produced by the sum of all matter (dark and light/"visible")....). Since the rate of the universe's expansion is still increasing, I'm gonna have to still bet that just maybe there is a perfect vacuum out there, but space is still a fascinating almost vacuum none the less.
Man this is a fun thread and thank you for that link. I bookmarked it.
http://www.site.uottawa.ca:4321/astr...aldensity.html
Howstuffworks "Dark Matter and the Fate of the Universe"