XIEG Holds 44th Salon for Scientific Exchange
2025-07-10
The Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography (XIEG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) held the 44th "Salon for Scientific Exchange" (SSE) on July 4, featuring Prof. Williem Baan as a keynote speaker. International researchers and students from XIEG attended the event.
Prof. Willem Baan began his presentation by briefing cosmic evolution, touching upon key concepts in astrophysics. His presentation encompassed the formation and evolution of galaxies and stars, the behavior of black holes, and the implications of gravitational waves and masers, among others. Highlighting the vast unknowns still confronting the field, he remarked, "The universe is complex with only four percent of the mass that is directly observable for us. The rest is dark matter and dark energy."
The presentation sparked lively discussion among attendees, covering topics on the Big Bang theory, the black hole jets, the cosmic radiation, and the star formation providing the building blocks for life. The event promoted scientific dialogue between different disciplines and furthered our understanding of the cosmos.
Willem Baan is a professor of astrophysics at Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory, CAS. His current research areas include star formation and evolution, astrophysical masers in the Milky Way and in extragalactic sources, and mass accretion systems and astrophysical jets at home in the Galaxy and abroad.
Willem Baan gives his presentation. (Image by XIEG)
Group photo (Image by XIEG)
Contact
LONG Huaping
Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography
E-mail: longhp@ms.xjb.ac.cn
Web: http://english.egi.cas.cn