Astronomy
Decaying Dark Matter and the Core-Cusp Problem
Quick fact
Observations of dwarf galaxies show that their dark matter is smoothly distributed in the center (a 'core'), but computer simulations of cold dark matter predict a steeply rising 'cusp' — a decades-old contradiction that decaying dark matter might resolve.
Why this is interesting
Imagine a mountain of invisible matter that makes galaxies spin too fast – and then imagine that this mountain slowly melts, reshaping the galaxy's heart. Could that be why the centers of some galaxies are flat instead of pointed?