Description
A stable particle with a weak scale mass and coupling is a well motivated dark matter candidate; one which arises in a variety of models for new physics, including the MSSM. Given the lack of clear evidence for WIMP signatures at direct, indirect and collider searches, often analyzed in simplified frameworks such as the CMSSM, we are motivated to look beyond the standard lore. In our least severe deviation, we relax simplifying assumptions commonly made in MSSM parameter space, such as minimal flavor violation, then reexamine constraints from direct dark matter detection and the associated nuclear physics uncertainties. Also, moving from a single particle to a multi-component dark matter framework, we consider the impact of many particles decaying in the early universe on the application of constraints from light element abundances and the CMB. Finally, we discuss searches at high luminosity colliders for dark matter candidates with masses below the weak scale.