Deep underground in Sudbury’s SNOLAB, a major new experiment has just reached a critical milestone. The very centre of a series of large, nested copper vessels that make up the heart of the newest and one of the most sensitive detectors in the world has now reached a temperature a hundred times colder than outer space.

“What sets SuperCDMS apart from other dark matter searches is its low threshold for detecting tiny energy depositions,” Diamond says. “This gives it exquisite sensitivity to low-mass dark matter candidates, including WIMP-like particles, axion-like particles, dark photons, and lightly-ionizing particles.”

Reaching base temperature is the culmination of years of preparation and months of detailed planning. Over the last year, the team developed a step-by-step cooldown plan, working closely with cryogenics experts responsible for different parts of the system.

More information here: https://www.thesudburystar.com/feature/sudbury-underground-lab-becomes-one-of-the-coolest-places-on-earth