The established cosmological model is called into question by recent University of Sheffield research that was published in the Nature Astronomy journal.
New study reveals evidence that two of the Universe's least understood components may be interacting, providing a unique view into the darkest corners of the cosmos and bringing scientists one step closer to unraveling one of its greatest mysteries.
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The results from the University of Sheffield relate to the connection between neutrinos, one of the most basic and elusive subatomic particles, and dark matter, the enigmatic, unseen material that comprises around 85 % of the Universe’s matter.
Based on Einstein's General Theory of Relativity, the Standard Model of Cosmology (Lambda-CDM) asserts that neutrinos and dark matter exist separately and do not interact.
The study finds indications that these enigmatic cosmic elements could interact, providing a unique window into aspects of the cosmos that are difficult to view or detect.
Scientists discovered evidence of interactions between dark matter and neutrinos by merging data from different periods, which might have influenced the formation of cosmic structures, such as galaxies, throughout time.
The data covers the entire history of the Universe:
- Data on the early universe are derived from two primary sources: the very sensitive ground-based Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) and the Planck Telescope, a space observatory operated by the European Space Agency (ESA) from 2009 to 2013. Both instruments were created primarily to investigate the weak afterglow of the Big Bang.
- Late-universe data is derived from a huge collection of astronomical observations made by the Dark Energy Camera on the Victor M. Blanco Telescope in Chile, as well as galaxy maps from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey.
The better we understand dark matter, the more insight we gain into how the Universe evolves and how its different components are connected.
Dr. Eleonora Di Valentino, Study Co-Author and Senior Research Fellow, University of Sheffield
“Our results address a long-standing puzzle in cosmology. Measurements of the early Universe predict that cosmic structures should have grown more strongly over time than what we observe today. However, observations of the modern Universe indicate that matter is slightly less clumped than expected, pointing to a mild mismatch between early- and late-time measurements,” added Dr. Eleonora Di Valentino.
Dr. Eleonora Di Valentino further added, “This tension does not mean the standard cosmological model is wrong, but it may suggest that it is incomplete. Our study shows that interactions between dark matter and neutrinos could help explain this difference, offering new insight into how structure formed in the Universe.”
The findings pave the way for further testing of the theory with more precise data from future telescopes, Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) experiments, and weak lensing surveys, which use the subtle distortions of light from distant galaxies to map the distribution of mass across the universe.
If this interaction between dark matter and neutrinos is confirmed, it would be a fundamental breakthrough.
Dr. William Giarè, Study Co-Author and Former Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Sheffield
Dr. William Giarè is now based at the University of Hawai‘i.
“It would not only shed new light on a persistent mismatch between different cosmological probes, but also provide particle physicists with a concrete direction, indicating which properties to look for in laboratory experiments to help finally unmask the true nature of dark matter,” added Dr. William Giarè.
Journal Reference:
Zu, L., et al. (2026) A solution to the S8 tension through neutrino–dark matter interactions. Nature Astronomy. DOI:10.1038/s41550-025-02733. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-025-02733-1.