A very brief history of dark matter

Synopsis

An abundance of astrophysical evidence suggests that 27% of our Universe is comprised of dark matter, a non-luminous substance integral to the formation of the structure of the Universe and thus to life itself. How did we arrive at this conclusion? While mention of mati`ere obscure dates back to astronomical observations from the turn of the 20th century, it took decades of advancement in technology for dark matter to become widely regarded as a poorly understood, yet significant component of the cosmos. Today, we use insight from a century of effort to search for non-gravitational properties of dark matter through complementary probes including telescopes, particle accelerators, and deep-underground experiments. Join me for a historical exploration of the rise and fall of key theories governing dark matter, along with some of the most promising avenues in the contemporary hunt for this elusive yet essential part of our Universe.