Elusive Dark Matter and the Earliest Galaxies

Science for the Public: Contemporary Science Issues & Innovations
October 23, 2024, Belmont Media Center (recording)

Julian B. Muñoz, Ph.D., Asst Professor, Astronomy, University of Texas-Austin.

This is a most exciting period for cosmology, especially for scientists whose focus is the early universe. The James Webb Space Telescope and other advanced technologies are providing unprecedented new insights about the early universe, especially the emergence of the first stars and galaxies and the relationship between these formations and mysterious dark matter. Professor Julian Muñoz explains both the newest discoveries and the techiques he uses to investigate the early universe.

Dr. Muñoz is a theoretical cosmologist, working at the interface of cosmology and astronomy. He is an expert in the epochs of cosmic dawn and reionization, when the first stars in the universe formed. He uses information from this era to extract new insights on the nature of dark matter and its role in the formation of the earliest galaxies.

His past work also covers the large-scale structure, cosmic microwave background, and fast radio bursts. His best-known work is on 21-cm cosmology and dark matter, which he will explain in this discussion, along with his participation in the Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array (HERA) project.