Astrophiz 242: Has Dark Matter Finally Been Detected? – Dr Sophia Gad-Nasr

Is dark matter finally showing itself? In this episode of Astrophiz, Dr Sophia Gad-Nasr — particle cosmologist, science communicator, and creator of @AstropartiGirl — returns for her second appearance on the show (her first was Episode 90, back in 2019) to unpack the tantalising 2.6-sigma signal detected by the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) dark matter experiment, buried deep underground in South Dakota.

Sophia walks us through how direct-detection experiments work, why this result is exciting but not yet a discovery, and what it would — and wouldn't — tell us about self-interacting dark matter, the subject of her PhD. We also cover the newly launched Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which Sophia watched lift off in person, and what its huge survey power means for our understanding of dark energy. Plus: an update on Sophia's PhD research into gravothermal collapse and black hole formation, and her thoughts on diversity in physics.

Chapters:

Introduction & Welcome Back

PhD Update: Gravothermal Collapse in Self-Interacting Dark Matter

Recap: Cold Dark Matter, WIMPs & SIDM

The LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) Signal Explained

Watching the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Launch

Self-Interacting Dark Matter vs Direct Detection

Sophia's Soapbox: Diversity in Physics & the Big Open Questions

Follow Dr Sophia Gad-Nasr: @AstropartiGirl

Full transcript and show notes: www.astrophiz.com