hi CD, i should have said holds the universe together. as yet scientists and astronomers are undecided with regards to just how much "matter" is within the universe. its like goldilocks, to little and the universe will expand to infinity and die, to much and the expansion will stop and then reverse (a belife some religions do hold) and the just enough for the steady state, where stars are born and die for ever. this dark matter holds the key for weather or not clause 1,2,or 3 holds out.

watching a Brian Cox programme the other day, he said that gravity is the weakest force within this universe. its force can be easily broken as to that compared to atomic binding.