Dark matter is a mysterious substance that makes up most of the matter in the universe. We can't see it directly because it doesn't emit or absorb light, but we know it exists because of its gravitational effects.
Invisible Matter: Imagine a giant see-saw. On one side, we have all the stars, planets, and other things we can see in space. These things have mass, so they should make the see-saw tilt. But it doesn't! This suggests there's something else on the other side of the see-saw that we can't see – that's dark matter.
Holding Galaxies Together: Dark matter acts like invisible glue, holding galaxies together. Without it, galaxies would spin so fast that they would fly apart.
A Cosmic Mystery: We don't know exactly what dark matter is made of, but scientists have some ideas. It might be made of particles that are different from the ones we know about.
In simple terms: Dark matter is like the hidden skeleton of the universe, providing the framework for everything else to exist. It's a big mystery, but scientists are working hard to understand it better.