For the first time, scientists believe they may have detected dark matter, the invisible substance that makes up around 25–27% of the universe and holds galaxies together.

Axar.az, citing Daily Mail, reports that researchers from Johns Hopkins University and the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics found that a mysterious gamma-ray glow at the center of the Milky Way may be produced by colliding dark matter particles.

Using supercomputer simulations that factored in the formation history of the Milky Way, the team discovered that their predicted dark matter map matched NASA’s Fermi satellite observations. This alignment strengthens the case that the gamma rays are from dark matter rather than spinning neutron stars (millisecond pulsars), though it is not yet definitive proof.

The study, published in Physical Review Letters, suggests dark matter around the galaxy is flattened, not spherical, which may explain previous mismatches. Scientists hope that the upcoming Cerenkov Telescope Array in Chile will soon confirm whether the glow is indeed from dark matter, potentially solving one of astronomy’s greatest mysteries.