Physicists call it " dark matter, " a substance they describe as the cosmic glue, the scaffolding, a web that uses gravity to corral, shape and hold together stars, planets and galaxies. Yet nobody knows exactly what it is.

Dark matter's existence is only inferred from its gravitational effects on visible matter. Together with dark energy—a mysterious force causing the universe to expand at an accelerated rate—they are the biggest scientific mysteries of our time.

So it's no surprise that dark matter and dark energy, which may hold answers to the origins and fate of the universe, have sparked profound religious and philosophical conversations—inspirational to some scientists, cringeworthy to others.

The worlds of science and faith are not as separate as they might seem. Many scientists have expressed how studying the majesty of the cosmos can be complementary rather than conflicting with their faith or spiritual practice.

Astrophysicist inspired by the Torah

Vera Rubin, an astronomer whose observations of galaxy rotation curves in the 1970s provided the first robust evidence for dark matter's existence, embraced her Jewish faith as a guide to understanding her role in the universe.

When Chanda Prescod-Weinstein met Rubin as a doctoral student in 2009, the renowned astrophysicist posed an unexpected question: "So how do you think we solve the dark matter problem?"