Dark Science

The best thing I have heard of lately is a thing called “Dark Matter”. Astronomers and cosmologists have 'discovered' it in a manner of speaking. I say 'manner' because they haven't actually seen it, detected it or found any scientific instrument that can measure anything about it, but they believe that it exists because of the 'evidence' showing that it must exist. That evidence is mathematical in nature, but as far as they are concerned, it is irrefutable. There MUST be dark matter they say, because without it, our formula for the behavior of planets and stars simply does not work, but with it, it does work, beautifully. Therefore, it exists, even though we cannot see, detect or measure it in any traditional way. In my opinion it is one of the greatest discoveries of modern science.

Dark matter has some amazing and interesting properties, or at least it probably does. It does not behave like regular matter because it has no mass, so it can pass through anything, including our own planet and everything on it. Along with dark matter and all that it seems to imply, there is another phenomenon that can only be explained as “Dark Energy”. Once again, this unseen, undetected energy seems to be working in an unexplainable way to push the expanding universe in every direction at an increasing rate. In other words, contrary to the observable laws of nature, the universe is accelerating outward, constantly, and dark energy seems to be fueling that acceleration.

Finally, along with dark matter and dark energy, comes a “Dark Force” (and no, I'm not kidding). This dark force seems to pull celestial bodies into unexplainable directions and create all sorts of bulges and bends in space where no bulges or bends can be seen. Even light is 'bent' at times by this dark force and no one knows exactly how or why.

More than just puzzling, these discoveries are aggravating to some scientists. One scientist was quoted as saying that he hated dark matter because he knows that it exists, but he cannot see it or detect it in any way. Thus, he is forced to believe is something he cannot see. This reminds me of a little analogy I once heard given by an astronaut several years ago. He asks us to picture a space craft sitting on a launch pad, ready for take-off. It is filled with fuel and there are people on board. The craft is loaded with all sorts of computers, engines, safety devices, back-up systems, food, cameras, oxygen tanks, and a host of complex devices for the comfort and safe re-entry and return of it's passengers. He then suggest that we try to imagine how many explosions it would take for such a craft to be formed intact, accidentally. And again, how many explosions would it take for even one computerized item to appear out of the explosion. Not even an ignorant child would explain the appearance of this spacecraft by saying that an explosion brought about the complexity we see before us. It is obvious to any intelligent person that it took many people many days to design, build and test such a thing. The thought that all or any part of it could be 'accidental' is laughable.

My uncle worked on spacecraft for most of his adult life. He designed many computer systems and complex machinery to be put into them. He is dead now and I cannot see him, but I would never dream of thinking that because I cannot see him he never existed. Nor would I do him the dishonor of saying that his work was not done by him, but by an accident of nature. I respect and honor him still, even though I cannot see him now.

I love “Dark Matter” because it represents everything in nature that we don't understand. But more importantly, it shouts loudly and clearly that seeing isn't necessarily believing. It has forced scientists to believe in things they cannot see, detect or measure. They hate it because it is opposite to their way of thinking and proving things. They would have us believe that the spaceship with all it's complexity, wonder, beauty and people, happen by accident with no designer and no builder. At least that is what they have been telling us for a hundred years. In my opinion it takes a great deal more faith in accidents to believe that the complex spacecraft that we call Earth and every living thing on it could have been formed by an explosion, (dark science indeed!), than to believe that there is an entity which we cannot see, detect or measure that designed and built all of this.