Dark Matter update - first result from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer experiment

ack

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May 6, 2010
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This update http://www.ams02.org/2013/04/first-results-from-the-alpha-magnetic-spectrometer-ams-experiment/ may read a little thick, so do read this thorough and carefully worded interpretation http://www.gizmag.com/alpha-magnetic-spectrometer-nasa-dark-matter/26968/ first.

It is important not to jump into conclusions about dark matter yet, and the experiment carefully proceeds at whatever conclusion it eventually may get to, by the process of elimination of other possibilities. Therefore, of note is the following:

According to the initial CERN report, the results of the AMS data and analysis, "are consistent with the positrons originating from the annihilation of dark matter particles in space, but not yet sufficiently conclusive to rule out other explanations." However, early media coverage was strongly oriented toward explaining the observed positron excess as associated with dark matter annihilation, and appeared dismissive of other explanations.

Following a discussion of dark matter annihilation as the source of the positron excess, the report also states that their model fits the data "surprisingly well" – without mentioning that the model is not connected with dark matter in any sense. As a result, the subsequent media reports often read as if dark matter had indeed been discovered, and all that remained was to dot the i's and cross the t's. The result was to spread an incorrect impression of the science involved far and wide.
 

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