Astronomers Use Pulsars to Detect Potential Dark Matter

Precise measurements of pulsar timings reveal unseen mass concentrations in the Milky Way.

Pulsars, neutron stars emitting regular radio pulses, serve as cosmic clocks for measuring time intervals.
Professor John LoSecco's team observed delays in pulsar signals, indicating interactions with hidden masses.
These delays suggest the presence of dark matter objects or other massive structures between pulsars and telescopes.
The research enhances pulsar timing data, improving the search for low-frequency gravitational waves.
Findings were presented at the National Astronomy Meeting at the University of Hull.