On the Challenge to Unveil the Microscopic Nature of Dark Matter – Scott Watson

Date: Tue. November 18th, 2008, 11:30 am-12:30 pm
Location: Rockefeller 221

Despite the successes of modern precision cosmology to measure the macroscopic properties of dark matter, its microscopic nature still remains elusive. LHC is expected to probe energies relevant for testing theories of electroweak symmetry breaking, and as a result may allow us to produce dark matter for the first time. Other indirect experiments, such as PAMELA, offer additional ways to probe the microscopic nature of dark matter through observations of cosmic rays. Results from a number of indirect detection experiments seem to suggest that our old views of the creation of dark matter may need revisited. This is also suggested by theories of electroweak symmetry breaking that are required to be well behaved at high energies and in the presence of gravity. I will discuss both the theoretical and experimental motivations for a new theory microscopic dark matter — and the implications for future experiments such as LHC.