Friday, 30. October 2026 5:00 pm Simulating the Universe
Dr. Dylan Nelson, Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, Center for Astrophysics (ITA/ZAH), Heidelberg University, Germany. Simulating the Universe Dr. Dylan Nelson Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, Center for Astrophysics (ITA/ZAH), Heidelberg University, Germany It has recently become possible to numerically simulate large, representative volumes of the Universe. These cosmological (magneto)hydrodynamical simulations solve for the coupled evolution of gas, dark matter, stars, and supermassive black holes interacting via the coupled equations of self-gravity and fluid dynamics, all within the context of an expanding spacetime. The IllustrisTNG simulations exemplify the current state-of-the-art in this context (www.tng-project.org). They simultaneously resolve tens of thousands of individual galaxies, enabling a variety of studies on galaxy formation and evolution, as well as large-scale structure and cosmology. I will give a tour of the TNG simulations, touching on some favorite scientific insights. I will conclude with a look towards the future: "star-by-star" simulations of high-redshift galaxies during the first billion years of cosmic time.
