The DAMA experiment, for many years, claimed to detect modulated alerts in a sodium iodide detector at a statistical significance of round 13σ by 2018, which may be attributed to darkish matter. These claims have been not too long ago validated by different experiments utilizing the identical detectors, referred to as COSINE-100 and ANAIS-112. The evaluation of information from six years in the past reveals no modulation, ruling out the potential of darkish matter.
Unbiased NaI Searches
Based on Phys.org, there have been two collaborations, particularly COSINE-100 (Korea, US, UK) and ANAIS-112 (Spain), which have independently verified DAMA’s end result utilizing NaI crystals doped with thallium. Neither of them noticed any modulation. ANAIS, with its knowledge of three years, has didn’t see any sign, in disagreement with DAMA at concerning the 3σ degree, whereas COSINE-100, with its knowledge of six and a half years, didn’t discover any modulation both (which rejects DAMA at > 3σ degree). The outcomes have been printed in refereed journals. Carlin et al. (2025) used the 2 knowledge units collectively and obtained a zero modulation amplitude match.
Implications and outlook
These null outcomes strengthen the view that DAMA’s modulation shouldn’t be from WIMPs. Yale’s Reina Maruyama remarks that researchers can now “concentrate on discovering a sign from darkish matter somewhat than chase after a ghost”. The DAMA group continues to insist on a dark-matter interpretation, however specialists warning that the modulation’s origin stays unclear. For instance, CERN Courier notes that subtracting DAMA’s annual imply background can itself produce a sine-wave signature if the background drifts over time. Taken collectively, the COSINE and ANAIS findings make a dark-matter rationalization not possible. The one technique to settle the difficulty is additional NaI exams (e.g., the SABRE experiment) and cautious reanalysis of information.
