Date: 20.10.2026

Sebastian Trojanowski (NCBJ & Astrocent CAMK,PL)

Beyond the WIMP: Using Stars and the Early Universe as a Dark Matter Laboratory

Abstract:
As traditional searches for weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) push against fundamental limits, the hunt for dark matter is increasingly turning to the sky. What if our most sensitive dark matter detectors are not buried deep underground, but are shining above us or imprinted in the cosmic web? In the first part of the talk, I will provide an overview of the changing landscape of particle dark matter and the strong motivation for exploring lighter thermal targets. We will then explore this synergy by asking two specific questions: Can stars act as novel dark matter laboratories? And could early-Universe dark sector interactions resolve today's pressing cosmological anomalies? Drawing on recent results, I will highlight how dark matter interactions can leave testable signatures, ranging from X-ray observations of SgrA* to cosmological imprints on the CMB, BAO, and weak lensing.