In the hunt for one of nature’s most elusive substances—dark matter, which makes up 85% of all matter in the universe—scientists are going to extremes. Deep underground and chilled to near absolute zero, the Super Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (SuperCDMS) SNOLAB—one of the world’s most sensitive dark matter searches—has begun collecting its first scientific data.

During this early-science phase, the team will fine-tune the system for its full-scale search, set to begin in 2027. Although the experiment isn’t yet operating at full sensitivity, it could still deliver meaningful results.

“The search for dark matter at SuperCDMS SNOLAB is finally underway,” said Tina Cartaro, SuperCDMS operations manager at the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.