The meeting is in the Series of the DSU workshops previeusly held in
Seoul (2005), Madrid (2006), Minnesota (2007), Cairo (2008), Melbourne
(2009), Leon (2010), Beijing (2011) and Buzios, Rio de Janeiro
(2012). For more info, see DSU HomePage.
At a glance
Observations imply that about 95% of the Universe's energy lies in a "dark sector". In front of a 5% of the energy of the Universe made by ordinary matter (i.e. by atoms and molecules) there is a misterious sector comprised of dark matter, a form of non-luminous matter of unknown composition, and of dark energy, a sort of an antigravity field whose origin and composition is also unknown Dark matter makes up 23% of the Universe and it possibly consists of a "sea" of exotic particles that interact very weakly with ordinary matter. They are never been detected in laboratory or elsewhere but are thought to encompass any luminous structure of the Universe. Dark energy, makes 73% of the energy of the Universe, is responsible for a mysterious force that is speeding up its expansion. Then to understand the Dark Side of the Universe is the outstanding fundamental problems in physics and cosmology, and it may possibly lead to teories beyond the standard models of particle physics and Big Bang Cosmology. In the past few years all this has prompted many phenomenal strings of connections between Particle Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology. The aim of the meeting is to bring together experts from all around the world to discuss, at a momentous time, the latest advances in the theoretical, phenomenological and experimental aspects of the issue and to draw a new cosmology/Elementary particles paradigm able to overcome the present and future observational challenges.