Neotons
Neotons are a hypothetical class of elementary particles that have been proposed as potential candidates for dark matter. The concept of neotons arises from certain extensions of the Standard Model of particle physics, particularly those that introduce new fundamental forces or particles. These particles are theorized to interact very weakly with ordinary matter, explaining why they have not been directly detected through conventional experiments. Their existence is inferred from cosmological observations, such as the gravitational effects they appear to exert on visible matter and the cosmic microwave background. The specific properties of neotons, such as their mass and interaction strength, are not precisely known and depend on the particular theoretical framework in which they are defined. Researchers are actively pursuing various experimental avenues to detect neotons, including direct detection experiments that look for rare interactions with detector materials and indirect detection experiments that search for the products of neoton annihilation or decay in cosmic rays or gamma rays. The confirmation of neotons would have profound implications for our understanding of the universe's composition and fundamental physics.