We May Have Just Found the Universe's Missing Baryonic Matter

The video discusses the missing baryon problem, where a third of ordinary matter in the universe is unaccounted for. Recent research using new techniques and telescopes has found evidence of this missing matter in the intergalactic medium (IGM). The IGM, composed mainly of ionized hydrogen and a small amount of ionized oxygen, is difficult to study. However, astronomers have used X-ray telescopes to detect ionized oxygen, suggesting that the missing baryons are in the IGM. While this research is promising, further studies are needed to confirm these findings and solve the mystery.

What is the missing baryon problem?

• A lack of understanding of black holes

• An unexplained increase in the universe's expansion rate

• A missing portion of ordinary matter in the universe

• A discrepancy in the amount of dark energy observed

What is baryonic matter primarily composed of?

• Photons and neutrinos

• Quarks and leptons

• Dark energy and dark matter

• Protons, neutrons, and electrons

Why is the intergalactic medium (IGM) difficult to study?

• It is constantly moving at high speeds

• It is mostly ionized hydrogen, which doesn't emit or absorb light

• It is too far away from Earth

• It is composed mostly of dark matter

How did astronomers find evidence of the missing baryons?

• By measuring the universe's expansion rate

• By using a quasar to detect ionized oxygen in the IGM

• By studying the formation of early structures

• By observing the cosmic microwave background

What role did the quasar play in the discovery of missing baryons?

• It acted as a lens to magnify distant galaxies

• It was used to measure the universe's expansion

• It provided a source of light to detect ionized oxygen

• It emitted gravitational waves that revealed hidden matter