[2026] PTE Academic Reading - Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers

Dark matter is an invisible form of matter that makes up approximately 27% of the universe's total mass and energy.Unlike normal matter, it does not emit, absorb, or reflect light, making it impossible to observe directly with standard electromagnetic sensors.Astronomers identified its existence through gravitational effects on visible objects, such as the unexpectedly fast rotation of galaxies.Without the presence of dark matter's additional mass, galaxies would likely fly apart as their visible stars do not provide enough gravity to hold them together.Gravitational lensing, where the path of light from distant stars is bent by massive invisible objects, provides further evidence for its presence.Despite its pervasive influence, the exact nature of dark matter particles remains one of the greatest mysteries in modern physics.One leading hypothesis suggests that it is composed of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) that rarely interact with ordinary matter.To test this, researchers have built sensitive detectors deep underground to shield them from cosmic rays and other interference.Understanding dark matter is essential for comprehending the large-scale structure and the ultimate fate of the cosmos.As technology advances, scientists hope to move from observing its gravitational footprint to a direct detection of a specific dark matter particle.