how long would it go without finding dark matter before physicists would get worried?
replies(5):
Adjust the theory to make it darker, lighter and more nebulous.
The end station of dark matter is that "we know it's real because computer models but due to a fluke there's no dark matter in the solar system so we can't detect it".
- galaxy rotation curves
- galaxy cluster dynamics
- gravitational lensing
- the Cosmic Microwave Background radiation
- large-scale structure
- Baryon Acoustic Oscillations
- X-ray emission in galaxy clusters
- galaxy cluster collisions
- mass-to-light ratios
That's a tall order for any competing theories. They're welcome to try, of course, but so far none have succeeded.
"Ackshually, we know dark matter is real because computer models"
Though to be honest that's unfair to computer models as dark matter cannot be consistently modeled in a way that lines up with the observable universe.
So your philosophy is more accurately described as
"ackshually we know dark matter is real because it's a fundamental pillar of the scientism dogma, have faith in the cold dark matter that we will never be able to detect"
If we replace "dark matter" with "the will of god" as a mysterious force with arbitrary value and direction, we end up with the very same theory with only a changed name.
That anyone takes it seriously at all does as much good for cosmology as a field as Trump does good for politics.