SNOLAB celebrates Dark Matter Day 2021
October 18, 2021
— Events
SNOLAB is pleased to once again be participating in Dark Matter Day!
Dark Matter Day, an international event founded in 2017by the Interactions Collaboration, aims to shed some light on the mystery of dark matter. Between October 25 and November 4, a series of Dark Matter Day events in countries around the world will highlight the global search for dark matter, the many fascinating ways scientists search for it, and the importance of devoting scientific resources to unraveling this cosmic riddle. This year’s Dark Matter Day is dedicated to the memory of Glenn Roberts, a champion of the event who passed away earlier this year.
Although scientists haven’t seen dark matter, indirect evidence tells us it exists—in the gravitational pull it has on galaxies and the way light bends around unseen objects in space. Understanding the nature of dark matter could help us better understand the universe in which we live. And if scientists do find the answer, it will raise yet another question: Will the discovery require a complete re-write of our understanding of physics?
Labs and universities around the world are celebrating the hunt for dark matter – a full list of events is available on the Dark Matter Day website. The site, managed by the Interactions collaboration, also contains a hub where visitors can explore the current detectors searching for dark matter.
This year, SNOLAB is participating in several events:
Make It, Break It, Shake It live event
A virtual event hosted in partnership with STFC Boulby Underground Laboratory, the University of Edinburgh and the University of Manchester will highlight the three main ways of searching for dark matter (make it, break it, and shake it) and features an introduction by Nobel Laureate Dr. Art McDonald. The event also includes a live virtual tour of both Boulby and SNOLAB, giving viewers a glimpse into two underground labs hosting dark matter experiments. The event takes place at 9:30 am EDT on October 28th. Learn more and register here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dark-matter-day-make-it-break-it-shake-it-tickets-183239523347
Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants with Dr. Erica Caden
SNOLAB Research Scientist Dr. Erica Caden is joining Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants on October 28th at 11:00 am EDT for a live webcast, sharing information about the lab and dark matter experiments hosted there. The event will be available to watch here: Dark Matter Day celebration with SNOLAB’s Dr. Erica Caden
Twitter Takeover
The annual Twitter Takeover will take place on October 29th – stay tuned to @SNOLABscience that day for science and sarcasm served up by a sassy dark matter particle.
Dark matter themed pumpkin carving
Feeling festive? Try out one (or all) of these pumpkin carving patterns, then share them on social media using #DarkMatterDay and feel free to tag us @SNOLABscience on all platforms!
Astronomy on Tap
SNOLAB Research Scientist Dr. Christine Kraus is participating in a virtual Astronomy on Tap event on October 21st, and will be talking about the facilities at SNOLAB + experiments it hosts, including dark matter searches.