Lead is a town of about 3,100 residents, about a half-hour from the Wyoming border. Nestled nearly 5,000 feet beneath the earth, is a laboratory that could help scientists answer some pretty heavy questions about life, its origins and the universe.

Yes, we’re talking about dark matter. Regular matter — people and planets, for example — make up about 4 percent of the total mass-energy of the universe, he said. Dark matter makes up about 25 percent.

Dark matter is too sensitive to detect in normal laboratories, but one so far underground would help shield it from pesky cosmic radiation. Also, the LUX detector (Large Underground Xenon, the world’s most sensitive dark-matter detector) is submerged in water, further insulating it.

The article published on the Herald Tribune provides more details about this experience which could lead to unexpected results!