[Fozzie (OP)]

Having read this article today http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/04/120424-dark-matter-collisions-humans-wimps-physics-space-science/ it got me thinking.

The medical profession don't seem to have come up with a definitive answer as to exactly what causes cells to suddenly become cancerous, so would it just be possible that some cancers could be started by this interaction, or by some other high energy particles coming from space?

[yor_on]

Sounds very theoretical that calculation. But sure, all sorts of radiation is bad in too high a dosage, as I think.

[JP]

They might contribute a tiny bit, but we do know that particles cause cancer by damaging the cells so that the cells reproduce uncontrollably.  To damage cells, the particles have to interact with them.  Therefore, weakly interacting particles (the WI_P in WIMPS) aren't going to be a big culprit here.  Photons, electrons and protons are major causes of radiation/particle-induced cancer because they interact strongly with matter.

[Pmb]

Having read this article today http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/04/120424-dark-matter-collisions-humans-wimps-physics-space-science/ it got me thinking.

The medical profession don't seem to have come up with a definitive answer as to exactly what causes cells to suddenly become cancerous,...

How do you know that the medical profession have looked very hard or not for a cause?