Welcome to an exciting journey into the universe of astrophysics with our amazing guest, Dr. Sergey Mashchenko. Dr. Mashchenko is a computational astrophysicist hailing from McMaster University, Canada. Today we will be diving deep into the formation of globular clusters and their strange properties.

For those who are not familiar, globular clusters are dense collections of stars that consist of millions of stars, most of which are incredibly old. Dr. Mashchenko suggests that some of these clusters may have formed when the universe was still young, thus predating most galaxies like the Milky Way.

You may be wondering, what is the role of dark matter in globular clusters? Well, according to Dr. Mashchenko’s research, it is quite possible that these clusters still contain a significant amount of dark matter. In fact, they serve as test particles that move through the host galaxy, revealing the presence of dark matter within them.

However, the mystery of dark matter within globular clusters remains unsolved. While William Pebbles first speculated about the presence of dark matter in these clusters in 1984, it took the advent of powerful supercomputers to begin analyzing the complex interplay between dark matter, the host galaxy, and the stars within these clusters.

Dr. Mashchenko’s research encompasses not only small-scale problems in standard cosmology, but also the dynamics of minor celestial bodies, interstellar medium physics, and the origin of dwarf galaxies and globular clusters. His work has led to new possibilities in our understanding of the universe and the role of dark matter within it.

So, join us as we journey into the abyss of astrophysics, and discover what dark matter may be hiding within our universe’s oldest structures.