Cosmos incognito : Vera Rubin shines light on dark matter
Name
317858101-MIT.pdf
Description
Full printable version
Size
2.38 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
4b55392e0147f7cc6348a52e46b1a300
Author(s)
Yeager, Ashley
Advisor(s)
Marcia Bartusiak.
Alternative Title
Vera Rubin shines light on dark matter
Date Issued
2008
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
This thesis, a profile of astronomer Vera Rubin, highlights her scientific achievements, most notably the irrefutable evidence she gathered to persuade the astronomical community that galaxies spin at a faster speed than Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation allows. As a result of this finding, astronomers conceded that the universe must be filled with more material than they can see. Scientists call this mysterious substance dark matter. This submission explains the scientific history of dark matter, its acceptance, and the current research being done to test its existence. It also mentions counter theories to the dark matter hypothesis and looks at Vera Rubin's current work and how this research will help astronomers better understand the construction of the cosmos and its evolution.
Description
Thesis (S.M. in Science Writing)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Humanities, Graduate Program in Science Writing, 2008.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 39-43).
Subjects
Graduate Program in Science Writing.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Graduate Program in Science Writing
MIT Program in Writing & Humanistic Studies
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copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but
reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written
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