Dark matter tells us how and why the universe has evolved and expanded the way it did since the Big Bang and how the stars and galaxies formed the way they did. It aids us in our quest to figure out where we came from, where we are, and where we are going (what's known as the cosmic triangle).

 

It also gives us a better idea of what’s out there in the universe. We now know that the universe is not only made of the normal atoms and stars that we always knew existed. There are other particles, dark matter and dark energy. To understand what it’s doing and how it’s interacting, we need to understand the specifics of dark matter including what it is exactly.

 

This does not look like it will affect the average member of the general public on a daily basis. However, we have had discoveries that we don’t think will affect daily life, but do. For example, Einstein’s general relativity affects GPS, a commonplace product in people's everyday lives. At the moment, it does not look like it will affect the general public's daily lives, but you never know.