The conundrum first arose from measurements of radiation left over from the Big Bang, which allowed scientists to calculate how much matter there is in the universe and what form it takes. This showed that about 5% of the mass in the universe comes in the form of ordinary matter, with the rest being accounted for by dark matter and dark energy.
Dark matter has never been directly observed and the nature of dark energy is almost completely mysterious, but even tracking down the 5% of ordinary stuff has proved more complicated than expected. When scientists have counted up all the observable objects in the sky – stars, planets, galaxies and so on – this only seems to account for between a 10th and a fifth of what ought to be out there.
BBC writes on a different note that scientist have confirmed psilocybin’s effects on mental health adding to its reputation as "lubricant for the mind". The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, showed psilocybin affected two key areas of the brain.
- The amygdala - which is heavily involved in how we process emotions such as fear and anxiety - became less active.
- The default-mode network - a collaboration of different brain regions - became more stable after taking psilocybin.
1.There are two paths to change our own mental outlook: the first involves daily meditation practice (or other physical atonement exercises like Yoga, Tai Chi, Feldenkrais Method, etc.) over a continuous stretch of at least 21 days resulting in a change of our neurological setting. The second involves a chemical reboot with substances like psilocybin. I clearly argue here for a preference of meditation over the use of chemical substances, but concede that humanity at this point of ecological devastation and its excessive focus on personal profit might do good in resetting its neuronal circuitry collectively. Elon Musk seems to think with Neuralink along these lines, but has put his money on technology instead of fungi.
2. Astronomers, and not only them, will at one point realize that dark matter is what humanity has yet to unearth, but will never be visible to our ordinary senses which have been designed by evolution to understand the material world. Vision, hearing, taste, smell and touch are given to use to perceive ordinary matter. It is our heart which makes the dark matter visible. Once we understand, a vast realm of consciousness will open up, waiting for us to be tapped into. Once we understand, we won’t fear economic recession, because we will experience the abundance of less.
The crisis is a crisis in consciousness. […] Man is still aggressive, competitive, acquisitive and he has built a society along these lines. […] Its no measure of health to be adjusted to a profoundly sick society. [Jiddu Krishnamurti]