WIMPs (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles)

WIMPs, or Weakly Interacting Massive Particles, are a leading candidate for dark matter—the mysterious substance that makes up about 27% of the universe’s mass. They are hypothetical particles that are heavy and interact very weakly with normal matter and light, making them extremely difficult to detect. Because of their weak interactions, WIMPs can pass through ordinary matter without noticeable effects, but their presence can potentially be inferred through specialized detectors or astrophysical observations. They are important in cosmology because they could help explain the unseen mass influencing galaxy formation and the structure of the universe.