Dark matter Quote by Neil deGrasse Tyson
““Another class of universal truths is the conservation laws, where the amount of some measured quantity remains unchanged no matter what. The three most important are the conservation of mass and energy, the conservation of linear and angular momentum, and the conservation of electric charge. These laws are in evidence on Earth, and everywhere we have thought to look—from the domain of particle physics to the large-scale structure of the universe. In spite of this boasting, all is not perfect in paradise. It happens that we cannot see, touch, or taste the source of eighty-five percent of the gravity we measure in the universe. This mysterious dark matter, which remains undetected except for its gravitational pull on matter we see, may be composed of exotic particles that we have yet to discover or identify. A small minority of astrophysicists, however, are unconvinced and have suggested that there is no dark matter—you just need to modify Newton’s law of gravity. Simply add a few components to the equations and all will be well. Perhaps””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Cosmos Series, 2014
Fundamental physical quantities stay constant, yet most of the universe’s gravity is unseen, prompting debate over dark matter versus modified gravity.
In simple terms: Conservation laws hold, but dark matter remains mysterious.
Key Takeaway
Consider both unseen matter and alternative theories.
Themes
physics
cosmology
uncertainty
scientific method
Mood
curious
analytical
Type
explanatory
thought‑provoking
When to use this quote
- galaxy rotation studies
- cosmic microwave background analysis
- theoretical modeling
- public science communication
Key Concepts
conservation laws
dark matter
modified gravity
particle physics
Questions to Reflect On
- What evidence would convince skeptics of dark matter?
- How do modified gravity theories address galaxy dynamics?
A Different Perspective
Some observations can be explained without invoking dark matter, but they often require complex adjustments.
![“They [scientists of centuries past] call on God only from the lonely and precarious edge of incomprehension. Where they feel certain about their explanations, however, God gets hardly a mention.” quote by Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0b0/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_century_they-scientists-of-centuries-past-call-o_12921.jpg)
