Astronomers have solved the decades-old mystery of the universe's 'missing' matter. Using fast radio bursts (FRBs), they've determined that approximately 76% of ordinary matter, or baryonic matter, exists as hot, low-density gas between galaxies. This discovery, published in Nature Astronomy, confirms previous theoretical models and provides the first detailed measurements of this matter's distribution. FRBs, by slowing down as they travel through intergalactic gas, allowed researchers to measure the gas density. This finding sheds light on the dynamic interplay between galaxies and the intergalactic medium, showing the impact of black holes and exploding stars on the distribution of matter.

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.