[andrewflnr]

Dark matter is constrained by, among other things, dynamical simulations. For instance, here's an example of reproducing real world observations, that previously didn't have great explanations, using simulations with dark matter: https://www.youtube.com/live/8rok8E_tz8k?si=Q7vmQYpZr_6K7--m. And that's not even getting into the cosmology that has to (and mostly does) fit together.

[karmakaze]

Interesting that you should link that video. Its title card says "Angela Collier". Here's a more recent video by the physicist[0].

Re: where it says "using simulations with dark matter", we can't simulate DM because it doesn't have any properties beyond our observations. All we do is distribute amounts of it to match observations. It could be "Dyson spheres with EM shields" and the results would be the same.

[0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbmJkMhmrVI

[andrewflnr]

Yes, and I think that video is stupid. She doesn't use the term that way in her own talk, and neither does any scientist I've ever heard. I think she's trying to make some abstract point about science in general and muddying the water in the process. Her takes on terminology are often bad IMO.

That doesn't take away the fact that when you work with the slightly more specific theory of "particle dark matter" it produces real results. And I believe there's a lot more work over the years in similar areas. It doesn't get talked about because it's not sexy, so people who only follow cosmology when there's drama don't hear about it. That was just the example at the top of my mind because I'd seen it recently, and the result is really quite spectacular. Did you watch it through?