Electromagnetic waves and dak matter

[Quantum1332]

I know that electromagentic waves do not need any type of medium, but why wouldn't it be possible for dak matter to act as a medium for waves such as light?

 

[mathman]

People don't know what dark matter is, but it generally presumed to be particle in nature and have no interaction with photons.

 

[Quantum1332]

it is not considered matter, yet its called dark matter?

 

[wolram]

it is not considered matter, yet its called dark matter?

Have a look at this Wiki article Quantum.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_matter

 

[Quantum1332]

while listening to an interview with Dr. Michio Kaku, he refers to dark matter as not being matter at all. So what is it?

 

[Quantum1332]

Could dark matter act as a luminiferous aether?

 

[mathman]

while listening to an interview with Dr. Michio Kaku, he refers to dark matter as not being matter at all. So what is it?

The main thing physicists know about dark matter is that it is NOT made of ordinary (baryonic) matter, i.e. atoms with nuclei made up of protons and neutrons, with electrons sorrounding the nuclei. Dark matter manifests itself by gravity only. It does not intereact with ordinary matter or photons.

 

[selfAdjoint]

Could dark matter act as a luminiferous aether?

No. It is not "baryonic matter', but is a substance, presumably particles, and can't contitute a luminiferous ether any more that hydrogen can.

There are various theories about what particles might constitute dark matter, but the few things we know about it rule out the particles we know. For example neutrinos meet the "non-baryonic" criterion, but it seems they are too "hot", i.e. they move too fast, to qualify.