Origin of the term dark matter
Pro Research Analysisby 
Searched over 200M research papers
Early Use and Origin of the Term "Dark Matter"
The term "dark matter" originated from the need to explain a discrepancy observed in the universe: the visible, or luminous, matter was not enough to account for the gravitational effects seen in galaxies and galaxy clusters. Initially, this was referred to as "missing mass," a concept that emerged when astronomers noticed that the amount of observable matter could not explain the motion of stars within galaxies or the movement of galaxies within clusters. This missing mass was thought to be made up of non-radiating baryons—matter that does not emit light or energy detectable by telescopes 1379.
Historical Development: From "Missing Mass" to "Dark Matter"
The problem of missing mass was first recognized in the 1930s, but it was not until the 1970s that the issue became widely acknowledged as a significant anomaly in astronomy and cosmology. During this period, various observations of missing mass were unified under the single concept of "dark matter." The rise of cosmological research and renewed interest in the theory of relativity in the 1960s played a key role in bringing attention to this issue and in shaping the terminology 37.
Evolution of the Concept in Cosmology
As research progressed, it became clear that dark matter was not just a baryonic (ordinary matter) phenomenon. Instead, it was recognized as a non-baryonic component that dominates the gravitational structure of the universe and is essential for the formation of large-scale cosmic structures. Theoretical models began to describe dark matter as consisting of particles that do not interact with electromagnetic forces, are dynamically cold (non-relativistic), and have little to no self-interaction 179.
Conclusion
In summary, the term "dark matter" originated from the need to explain the gravitational effects that could not be accounted for by visible matter, first described as "missing mass." Over time, as the concept evolved and became central to cosmological models, "dark matter" came to represent a non-baryonic, invisible component that shapes the universe's structure and evolution 1379.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic