News Physics Imitation dark matter axions have arrived. They could reveal the real thing A quasiparticle in a manganese-based material acts a lot like the elusive axion Researchers Suyang Xu (left), Jianxiang Qiu (right) and colleagues have created axion quasiparticles, which behave similarly to hypothetical axion particles that could be the explanation for dark matter. Suyang Xu By Emily Conover 17 seconds ago If imitation is a form of flattery, then scientists are enamored with the axion. The hypothetical subatomic particle has long eluded scientists. But it’s now been conjured up in imitation form within a thin sheet of material, researchers report April 16 in Nature. If axions exist, they could explain dark matter, an invisible form of matter inferred from observations of the cosmos. But efforts to spot the particles have been unsuccessful. The newfound axion imitators are the next best thing. Sign up for our newsletter We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.