The Dark and the Life: The Four Big Questions of Twenty First Century Astrophysics

Venue: Auditorium, Ground Floor, Peter Doherty Institute

Presenters: Professor Colin Norman

Melbourne graduate Professor Colin Norman will be visiting from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore to discuss the 'Four Big Questions' in astrophysics. According to Professor Norman these are:

(1) The Nature of Dark Matter
(2) The Physical Understanding of Dark Energy
(3) The Formation and Evolution and Structure of Black Holes and, finally, a different kind of question
(4) The Habitability of Exoplanets.

In this lecture Professor Norman will focus on four great problems confronting us in the current era:

(1) The Nature of Dark Matter,
(2) The Physical Understanding of Dark Energy,
(3) The Formation and Evolution and Structure of Black Holes, and,
finally, a different kind of question: (4) The Habitability of Exoplanets.

Modern Astrophysics is a potent blend of multi-wavelength ground-based observations, high-tech space missions, and powerful physical insights. Professor Norman will discuss work from these different approaches relevant to the Four Big Questions with accompanying images from many recent astronomical space missions and other great observatories. He will also describe the powerful techniques being applied in laboratory experiments that are attempting to simulate conditions in space, thereby progressing, albeit slowly, toward the identification of significant building blocks of life in other parts of the universe.

Where possible he will indicate the future plans for upcoming space missions in these areas including: the James Webb Space Telescope, the Wide Field Infrared Space Telescope and the Advanced Telescope for High Energy Astrophysics. He will also discuss the major Australian initiative for the Square Kilometer Array.

from
https://events.unimelb.edu.au/events/8226-the-dark-and-the-life-the-four-big-questions-of