A pilgrimage to darkness

Andi Hektor, NICPB Tallinn

I will give a short introduction to Dark Matter physics. I will sum up the the main evidences of Dark Matter from the Galactic to large cosmological scales. So far the evidences are only gravitational. I will point out that even the gravitational signals of Dark Matter can hint about the deeper nature of Dark Matter, especially having soon new data from the Gaia and other soon starting experiments. Beyond gravitation, we have many experimental constraints on the ‘particle’ nature of Dark Matter and only few questionable hints of Dark Matter. Those experiments involve the accelerator (LHC at CERN), underground (‘direct detection') and cosmic experiments (‘indirect detection’). Due to rapidly evolving experimental and observational bounds the mainstream candidate of Dark Matter, Weakly Interacting Massive Particle, is losing its ground. I will point out some interesting escape scenarios of WIMP. I will conclude highlighting some interesting alternatives for WIMPy Dark Matter.

(Slides will be available here)