Why is 22% of the matter in the Universe called dark? Because it is not visible in the traditional sense and even in the optical wavelength range, as ordinary, luminous matter is visible. Dark matter does not take part in electromagnetic interaction. However, it definitely exists. An even larger share, 74%, of the Universe is occupied by dark energy, the existence of which was suggested after observations of supernovae and the expanding Universe. The properties of this substance turned out to be very strange...According to a number of scientists, without dark matter and dark energy the emergence and existence of galaxies themselves, stars in galaxies, star systems, planets and life is impossible. The author fascinatingly talks about the history of the study of the Universe, about great astronomers, astrophysicists and cosmologists, their attempts to find out, or rather calculate, the fate of the Universe.