Keyword: Department of Physics and Astronomy

Stars substantially more massive than our Sun end their lives in a poweful supernova explosion. However, it is unclear what happens in the latest stages of the stars’ lives before their explosive final fate. An international team of astronomers led by Dr Francisco Förster from the University of Chile and including Dr Hanindyo Kuncarayakti from the University of Turku has now found evidence that these stars lose weight shortly before their death.

For the first time, astrophysicists have localised the source of a cosmic neutrino originated outside of the Milky Way. With high probability, the neutrino comes from a blazar, an active black hole at the centre of a distant galaxy in the Orion constellation. The scientists reached this interesting finding by combining a neutrino signal from IceCube with measurements from the Fermi-LAT and MAGIC telescopes as well as other instruments. This multi-messenger observation could also provide a clue to an unsolved mystery: the origin of cosmic rays.

Aalto-1 has successfully cleared the difficulties it has faced in orbit. The largest amount of research data has been provided by the RADMON radiation monitor carried by the satellite.

For the first time, an international team of astronomers have directly imaged the formation and expansion of a fast-moving jet of material ejected when the powerful gravity of a supermassive black hole ripped apart a star that wandered too close to the massive monster.

The research group of Professor Rami Vainio is developing novel particle instruments and innovative, radiation-tolerant solutions to nano-satellites such as Aalto-1. At the beginning of June, the research group of the University of Turku received an eight-year funding from the Academy of Finland as part of the Finnish Centre of Excellence in Research of Sustainable Space (FORESAIL) led by Professor Minna Palmroth (University of Helsinki).

A new study led by Michael West of Lowell Observatory and Roberto De Propris of the University of Turku reveals that the most massive galaxies in the universe have been aligned with their surroundings for at least ten billion years. This discovery shows that galaxies, like people, are influenced by their environment from a young age.

​Sabrina Maniscalco is the Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Turku.

What if we could create more powerful solar panels, find materials to replace rare metals in chemical industry, create lighter means of transport, or save nature? All this can be helped with the method Doctoral Candidate Henrik Levämäki has created for computational modelling of materials. The method makes the use of density functional theory more accurate than before.

The Finnish Science and Technology Camp brought 22 elementary and secondary school pupils from Tianjin to Turku on Wednesday, 12 August 2015. In the University's workshops, the pupils experimented how to make ice cream with the help of physics and learned about the cryogenic phenomena utilised in laboratories.

​In the workshop, the pupils used liquid nitrogen to freeze ice cream. They received directions from the scientists through an interpreter (on the right).

Quantum physicists will try out new methods in solving the mysteries of science. A group of enthusiastic professionals from different disciplines will gather to Tuorla Observatory of the University of Turku, and their mutual aim is to create games which will produce new knowledge. The results will be presented at the Science Café on 14 December, where SF-author Hannu Rajaniemi will also give a presentation.