👉 Beyond-light particles, often referred to as dark photons or gravitons in certain theoretical frameworks, represent a fascinating frontier in physics that extends our understanding of the fundamental constituents of the universe. Unlike photons, which are the quanta of electromagnetic radiation and mediate the electromagnetic force, these hypothetical particles are proposed to be the carriers of gravity at very small scales. Dark photons are thought to interact with ordinary matter through the weak nuclear force and possibly through new, yet undiscovered, forces, but their existence remains unproven. They could explain phenomena like dark matter, the mysterious substance that makes up about 27% of the universe's mass-energy content, by acting as a form of "dark light" that influences gravitational interactions without emitting electromagnetic radiation. This concept challenges our conventional understanding of particle physics and opens new avenues for exploring the unseen forces that shape the cosmos.
