I asked ChatGPT about alternative terminologies for dark matter:
Advantages of the Term "Cosmic Gravitational Anomaly"
Neutral and Descriptive:
The term "Cosmic Gravitational Anomaly" is neutral, avoiding assumptions about the nature of the phenomenon, while being descriptive of the observed effects on spacetime.
Encourages Exploration:
By not presupposing that the anomaly is due to matter, it encourages researchers to explore a wide range of possibilities, including energy-based explanations.
Improved Communication:
This term can improve communication with both the scientific community and the public, clearly indicating that the phenomenon is a gravitational effect observed on a cosmic scale.
So from now on it's called CGA. Thank you. #CGA #darkmatter #epicycles #phlogiston
Probably a question I should aim at the astrodon.social instance, but then again this isn't an #astronomy question as much as one from speculative/sci-fi...
What would the universe look like if #darkmatter & #darkenergy turned out to be as real as #phlogiston & #aether?
Is a consistent universe even possible then, or does it devolve into locally inconsistent physical laws?
What weirdness should we expect to see?