PBH Scaffolding Theory: Primordial Black Holes Replace Particle Dark Matter

Abstract

PBH Scaffolding Theory proposes that the large-scale gravitational scaffold of the universe is not an elementary dark-matter particle species but a primordial black-hole fog (asteroid-mass PBHs in unmodified Einstein gravity). Five independent gates operationalize scaffold completeness; scores use published constraint envelopes only. Under the no-particle conditional and fixed checklist, asteroid-mass PBH dust is the sole Einstein-gravity scaffold that passes all gates. Working theory manuscript 1.4.1 — viability filter, not a detection claim. Version 2.0.0: PDF-only deposit (HTML removed from Zenodo bundle).