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 role does the intergalactic medium (IGM) play in the missing baryon problem?

What challenges do astronomers face when studying the IGM?