Scientific Highlights

Euclid test images tease of riches to come

July 31, 2023

Euclid’s two instruments have captured their first test images, showcasing space telescope potential to exceed its scientific goals. These are early test images, taken to check the instruments and review how Euclid can be further tweaked and refined. The Euclid space mission will create the largest and most accurate 3D map of the universe.

The Euclid telescope takes off to explore the dark universe

June 30, 2023

The Euclid space mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) will launch into space on Saturday, July 1, 2023 to create the largest and most accurate 3D map of the universe. Spain has an important role in the mission, with a prominent role in the Consortium that has led the mission from its origin. IFAE, ICE-CSIC and PIC has been responsible for the development of the Filter Wheel Assembly, one of Euclid instruments and for generating cosmological simulations.

DESI Early Data Release Holds Nearly Two Million Objects

June 13, 2023

The first batch of data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument is now available for researchers to mine. Taken during the experiment’s “survey validation” phase, the data include distant galaxies and quasars as well as stars in our own Milky Way. DESI has already observed more galaxies than the combination of any other previous study, and it is just starting. Several Spanish institutions participate in this project: IFAE, ICE-CSIC/IEEC, ICCUB, CIEMAT, IFT/UAM, IAA, and IAC

Annual Meeting of the ET-PP Project in Barcelona

June 12, 2023

The ET-PP (Einstein Telescope Preparatory Phase) project held its Annual Meeting from June 12th to 13th, 2023. The event, hosted by the Institut de Física d'Altes Energies (IFAE), as the coordinator of the european project, took place at the UPF Barcelona School of Management Campus in the city center of Barcelona.

ATLAS and CMS observe simultaneous production of four top quarks

March 28, 2023

The ATLAS and CMS collaborations have observed the simultaneous production of four top quarks, the heaviest elementary particle, in collisions at the world's largest particle accelerator, located at CERN. The Institut de Física d'Altes Energies (IFAE) plays a prominent role in the observation of this rare phenomenon that could be key to searching for new particles beyond the Standard Model.

New understanding on the relationship between galaxies and dark matter solves mysterious problem in cosmology

March 10, 2023

Recent studies have revealed that the bending of light around massive galaxies is significantly smaller than what our theories predict. Now, a team of scientists from Spanish institutions has found that the mismatch between theory and observations is actually caused by imprecise modeling of astrophysical processes.

The MAGIC Telescopes scrutinize the center of the Milky Way for fingerprints of dark matter

February 10, 2023

233 hours of observations of the galactic center with the MAGIC Telescope has helped constrain possible properties of dark matter particle candidates. The results are published in Physical Review Letters. Daniel Kerszberg, Ramon y Cajal fellow at IFAE, Barcelona, Spain, is one of the leading authors of this research.

IFAE leads the Plan Complementario for Astrophysics and High Energy Physics

February 10, 2023

The Plan Complementario for Astrophysics and High Energy Physics was presented in Barcelona with the presence of the Minister of Science and Innovation and the Minister of Research and Universities of the Generalitat de Catalunya. The IFAE leads the project which has a budget of more than 39 million euros and seven autonomous communities involved.

Prof. Eugenio Coccia named new Director of IFAE

October 7, 2022

Prof. Coccia was the director of the INFN Gran Sasso Laboratory and founding director of the school for advanced studies Gran Sasso Science Institute (GSSI), of which he was the rector until now. He will succeed Prof. Ramon Miquel as IFAE Director on November 15, 2022.