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Dark matter: How does it explain a star's speed? - Don Lincoln

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All the stars in a spiral galaxy rotate around a center -- but to astronomers, the speed that each star travels wasn't making sense. Why didn't stars slow down toward the edges as expected? Don Lincoln explains how a mysterious force called dark matter is (possibly) the answer -- and why the search for an answer matters.

Scientists have never observed dark matter and have inferred its existence from indirect measurements. Some critics, who are typically not scientists, have claimed that the dark matter hypothesis is an example of scientists inventing a concept so as to save their theories of gravity and motion. Some have even characterized dark matter as ‘something that you can’t see, but it holds the universe together’ and have drawn parallels with religious statements. Do you think these claims are valid? Explain your reasoning.

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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Don Lincoln
  • Director Gatze Zonneveld
  • Narrator Don Lincoln

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