Uploaded April 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
What is Dark Matter and how do we find it?
The Cold Radon Emanation Facility (CREF) at STFC's Rutherford Appleton Laboratory is helping in our search for dark matter.
Unfortunately, in experiments looking for it, radon in materials used to build dark matter detectors is often a major source of background radiation that can decay into problematic atoms that mimic dark matter signals.
CREF allows us to study these emissions in low temperatures, improving our sensitivity of next generation dark matter detectors.
CREF began commissioning in the last week of January 2022, with components for the facility being put together and tested in collaboration with Boulby Underground Laboratory and other universities such as UCL and The University of Edinburgh.
What is Dark Matter and how do we find it?
The Cold Radon Emanation Facility (CREF) at STFC's Rutherford Appleton Laboratory is helping in our search for dark matter.
Unfortunately, in experiments looking for it, radon in materials used to build dark matter detectors is often a major source of background radiation that can decay into problematic atoms that mimic dark matter signals.
CREF allows us to study these emissions in low temperatures, improving our sensitivity of next generation dark matter detectors.
CREF began commissioning in the last week of January 2022, with components for the facility being put together and tested in collaboration with Boulby Underground Laboratory and other universities such as UCL and The University of Edinburgh.
