October 31st may be famous for celebrating Halloween. But let’s not overlook a reason to add a STEM-angle to this day: October 31st is also Dark Matter Day. Perhaps it is more than appropriate to overlap a celebration containing the word “dark” on such a spooky and mysterious day. So while you are taking the time to don scary costumes and trick-or-treat, let’s also take the time to celebrate a large percentage of our universe that remains unseen and unknown.

What is Dark Matter?

We know that our universe is made up of matter. But according to Interactions.org, scientists believe that less than 5% of that is what makes up what we know of the universe, such as planets and stars. There is a lot of the universe that we don’t know about, including dark matter which scientists believe is about 25% of our universe. This matter may be made up of particles we don’t yet know about, or there may be more to the laws of physics regarding our universe that we have yet to understand. 

What is Dark Matter Day?

On and around October 31, 2017,the world celebrated the hunt for dark matter, that is, the unseen in our universe. Since then, annual celebrations have been underway to continue this quest marked by international recognition and local organized events. Interested in finding an event? Check out the Dark Matter Day event finder. 

Want to Learn More About Dark Matter Day?

Check out the Dark Matter Day webpage at Interactions.org, and be sure to check out the educational resources webpage for a fun lesson that teachers and students can use to learn more about dark matter.