Sub-GeV Dark Matter May Explain Milky Way's Ionization Mystery

A new study in Physical Review Letters suggests sub-GeV dark matter particles could explain the unexplained ionization rate in the Milky Way's Central Molecular Zone (CMZ). Researchers propose that these low-mass dark matter particles, colliding and producing electron-positron pairs, could ionize hydrogen at observed rates. This may also explain the 511 keV gamma-ray signal emanating from the galaxy's center, potentially unifying two cosmic anomalies. Future observations and theoretical work are needed to confirm this hypothesis, which could revolutionize our understanding of dark matter and high-energy particle physics.