The missing puzzle piece of the universe
The ultimate shield against cosmic noise
Laboratories at the ends of the Earth
The high-tech traps for invisible prey
YOUR GOAL
Master of Why scientists hunt dark matter deep underground
play_review Deep Earth Cosmic Shield
Under miles of heavy stone, we quiet the cosmic storm to hear a ghostly particle whisper.
play_review Underground labs must eliminate all background radiation to detect incredibly rare dark matter collisions.
play_review Miles of solid rock block cosmic rays while letting dark matter pass through.
play_review Test your science knowledge in this interactive game about dark matter research and the extreme methods physicists use to detect it.
Quiet space: The rock above the deepest underground labs reduces the constant bombardment of cosmic rays by a factor of over ten million.
Rock, soil, or other material overlying a geological deposit or an underground facility. At SNOLAB in Canada, two kilometers of rock overburden shield sensitive particle detectors from cosmic radiation.
What material is commonly used as a giant shield around underground dark matter detectors?
Why can dark matter easily pass through miles of solid rock while cosmic rays cannot?
By what factor does deep rock reduce cosmic ray interference in the deepest underground labs?
What are the high-energy particles from outer space that constantly bombard Earth's surface called?
How many dark matter WIMPs are estimated to pass through a human body every second?
What radioactive element naturally found in underground rock must scientists shield their detectors from?