Thanks for the post Craig.
I like how you post things that interest me... I have said what I have said about dark matter but I can not resist to say it all again and here would seem appropriate.
I find the speculation about dark matter extraordinary.
It is not science in my view to dwell upon the prospect of something invented to shore up our view of gravity..when observations strongly suggest we are wrong.
Why does no one question the speculation that is dark matter...and it is mere speculation.....why does no scientist say..the observations we make demonstrate our formula e in respect of gravity do not serve us unless we present the existence of hypothetical "dark matter" such that it will allow our belief that attraction is the force behind gravity.... clearly the observations of the pioneer craft slowing offers an observation that does no fit the current science..(and I suggest there we have an observation that clearly tells us we are wrong)....is its behavior due to dark matter???? or again I ask does the determination to fit our belief in the force of attraction into a universe that does not recognize such a force need to be addressed....
Science must proceed in a step by step process I am told but the first step in establishing the force of attraction was never taken..there is no experiment to establish the force of attraction
and so it could be that every assumption made that there is such a force has led us to applying incorrect analysis to our observations....
Does it not worry science that dark matter makes up so much of the universe but it has no footprint of electromagnetic radiation
...to me that would suggest there is more probability that there is no dark matter than to offer any case for a reasonable assumption that indeed dark matter exists in the extraordinary abundance needed to explain the inconsistent observations such as Pioneer and the outer velocity of stars in host galaxies not doing what our sums tell them they must...unless of course we aid our sums with the introduction of a mythical dark matter....
The first trace I can find of it was when Vera Ruben introduced it and I found it extraordinary that the idea was entertained then but more extraordinary that it got up and now considered "good" science but the nonsense it doth now proliferate must demand a rethink.
I know we call things we know little about "dark" which is OK but if they are such why do so many carry on with the speculations such as the above article suggests... it seems little elevated to the dark magic we despise in lesser cultures...
AND while we enjoy the prospect of dark matter I do wonder how it interacts with the Higgs field
alex
