Question

In 3 to 5 sentences describe massive compact halo objects, and explain their possible connection to darker matter

Answer 1

Massive compact halo objects (MACHOs) are theoretical astronomical objects composed of ordinary matter that potentially make up a fraction of dark matter in the universe. They are speculated to be small, compact objects like black holes, neutron stars, brown dwarfs, or even rogue planets. MACHOs were proposed as a possible explanation for the missing mass problem in galaxies and the gravitational lensing observed in certain cases. However, subsequent observations and experiments suggest that MACHOs cannot account for a significant portion of dark matter and that alternative explanations like weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) are more likely.