EXC 2094:  ORIGINS: From the Origin of the Universe to the First Building Blocks of Life

• Subject Area: Astrophysics and Astronomy ; Computer Science ; Statistical Physics, Nonlinear Dynamics, Complex Systems, Soft and Fluid Matter, Biological Physics ; Particles, Nuclei and Fields
• Term: since 2019
• Website: Homepage
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 390783311

ORIGINS has set out to understand the evolution of our Universe from the Big Bang to the emergence of life, addressing some of humanity's deepest questions. In the last six years, we have built a unique collaboration between bio-, particle-, and astro-physicists at leading institutes in the Munich area. Our common goal is to unravel the origin of the Universe; starting from primordial quantum fluctuations which give rise to the cosmic web, leading to the formation of galaxies, stars, planets, and the emergence of life itself. To integrate these processes into a cohesive framework, researchers have joined ORIGINS to transcend their established disciplines, aided by a network of interdisciplinary programs (Connectors), launched during the Cluster’s first funding period (O1). They link five focused Research Units and are supported by innovative infrastructures. During O1, we explored new physics with terrestrial and cosmic accelerators, associated high-energy neutrinos with active galactic nuclei, and probed dark matter on galactic and cosmic scales. We advanced our understanding of cosmic nucleosynthesis and prebiotic molecules, obtained the first accurate mass-metallicity relation of galaxies, and confirmed the inside-out growth of spiral galaxy discs. We carried out the first 3D simulations of planets accreting in photoevaporating discs and showed possible conditions for life on exomoons of free-floating planets. Harvesting the scientific results from O1, we now aim to build a comprehensive picture of cosmic habitability over the 13-billion-year history of the Universe. We aim to connect quantum tools to the Universe's inflationary phase, explore symmetry-breaking to explain matter's dominance over antimatter, resolve tensions in cosmological observations, research the dark sector, neutrinos and environments of super-massive black holes, investigate the multi-scale universe from cosmological structures to planets, study the factors in galaxy evolution, star formation, and geochemical processes influencing habitable environments, understand life's chemical ingredients on exoplanets, and examine how molecular information emerges as a distinct entity. Strategic recruitment at the professorial level has strengthened the core scientific areas, with additional recruitments planned. We will further enhance our infrastructure by building a new instrument for the Wendelstein observatory, which will provide follow-up observations for upcoming exoplanet satellite missions. We will build a Detector Hub to drive the next generation of experiments, a Data Centre to provide FAIR ORIGINS-related data, and a Centre for ORIGINS Educational Research to disseminate our science to schools and society. A newly established Management Board will help us reach scientific goals, allowing a high level of quality assurance. We aim to foster an inclusive environment, promote equal opportunities, and strongly support early career researchers through dedicated new measures.

• DFG Programme: Clusters of Excellence (ExStra)
• Applicant Institution: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
• Co-Applicant Institution: Technische Universität München (TUM)
• Participating Institution: Deutsches Museum (DM); European Southern Observatory (ESO); Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften ; Leibniz-Rechenzentrum; Max-Planck-Institut für Astrophysik (MPA); Max-Planck-Institut für Biochemie (MPIB); Max-Planck-Institut für Physik (Werner-Heisenberg-Institut); Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik (IPP); Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik (MPE)
• Spokespersons: Professorin Barbara Ercolano, Ph.D.; Professor Dr. Stefan Schönert
• Participating Researchers: Professor Dr. Martin Beneke; Professorin Dr. Nora Brambilla; Professor Dr. Dieter Braun; Professorin Dr. Ilka Brunner; Professorin Dr. Paola Caselli, Ph.D.; Professor Dr. Georgi Dvali; Professorin Dr. Laura Fabbietti; Professor Dr. Erwin Frey; Professor Dr. Ulrich Gerland; Professor Dr. Daniel Gruen; Professor Dr. Lukas Heinrich; Professor Dr. Kevin Heng; Professor Dr. Alejandro Ibarra; Professor Dr. Eiichiro Komatsu; Professor Dr. Yan Lavallée; Professorin Dr. Elisa Resconi; Dr. Karoline Schaeffner; Professorin Dr. Petra Schwille; Professorin Sherry H. Suyu, Ph.D.; Professor Dr. Oliver Trapp; Professor Dr. Andreas Weiler; Professor Dr. Jochen Weller; Professorin Giulia Zanderighi, Ph.D.