Alain Picard 
IN SHORT Stellar nucleosynthesis: A set of nuclear reactions occurring inside stars. Creation of chemical elements: Massive stars generate heavy elements through nuclear reactions. Star formation: They form from clouds of gas rich in hydrogen and helium. Primordial nucleosynthesis: Formation of light elements during the origin of the Universe. Types of nucleosynthesis: Includes stellar, primordial, … Read more
IN BRIEF Supernova: massive explosion of a star in the universe. It is the largest explosion observable in space. Results in ejections of matter and shock waves at impressive speed. Significant impact on the enrichment of the interstellar medium in heavy elements. Increases the flow of cosmic rays in the galaxy. Studies related to cosmic … Read more
IN BRIEF Numerical simulations to study the Universe. Used by physicists to simulate the inflation of the Universe. Objective: to create a model of the entire observable Universe. Analysis of stars, galaxies, black holes, etc. Essential tool for understanding cosmological processes. Simulations aiding in retracing the history of the Universe. Illustration of the ongoing expansion … Read more
IN BRIEF Four fundamental forces: gravitation, electromagnetism, strong nuclear force, and weak nuclear force Gravity: governs weight and the trajectories of celestial bodies Electromagnetic force: regulates interactions between charged particles Strong nuclear force: holds protons and neutrons together in the atomic nucleus Weak nuclear force: responsible for nuclear transformations Standard model: theorizes the fundamental interactions … Read more
IN BRIEF Quasars: Immense black holes at the heart of galaxies. Energy emission: They produce significant amounts of energy by devouring matter. Cosmic evolution: Help in understanding the evolution of the Universe. Interaction with galaxies: Influence the formation and evolution of galaxies. Quasar winds: Produce jets of radiation altering the galactic environment. Energy role: Among … Read more
IN BRIEF Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB): fossil radiation of the universe Fluctuations: temperature differences, indicating anisotropies Blue regions: cooler, indicating areas of low energy Red regions: warmer, signaling areas of high energy Inflation: early period of the universe explaining certain fluctuations Measurements by satellites WMAP and Planck CMB reveals characteristic B modes Temperature dipole: origin … Read more
IN SHORT Gran Telescopio de Canarias: Primary mirror with a diameter of 10.4 meters. European Extremely Large Telescope (ELT): Expected to open in 2027 with a mirror of 39 meters. Very Large Telescope (VLT): Flagship equipment of European astronomy. Southern African Large Telescope (SALT): Mirror of 11.1 meters. Schmidt Telescopes: Used for photographic astrometry. Large … Read more
IN BRIEF Cosmic background radiation: first light emitted, 380,000 years after the Big Bang. 3D representation of the universe’s original glow. Detection of the cosmic microwave background through advanced observations. Discovery of cosmic structures like bubbles a billion light-years wide. Formation of the first atoms and transition from an opaque state to a transparent state. … Read more
IN BRIEF Big Freeze: hypothesis that the Universe will continue to expand, leading to a heat death. Big Crunch: scenario of a terminal collapse of the Universe, where everything converges into a singularity. Big Rip: theory that the expansion of the Universe would accelerate to the point of tearing apart all matter. These models explore … Read more
IN BRIEF Primordial nucleosynthesis: Formation of the first atoms after the Big Bang. Timing: Approximately 380,000 years after the Big Bang. Elements formed: Mainly hydrogen and helium. First molecule: The ion HeH+, possibly the first molecule. Conditions: Initial temperatures around 10^9 K. Electrons and atoms: Electrons combine with nuclei to form atoms. In the vastness … Read more