The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias has put itself on the frontier of astrophysical technology by developing the first integrated photonic circuit designed entirely within the Institute. This pioneering advance will permit the improvement of astronomical instruments, and the development of innovative systems for observing the universe. Astrophysical instrumentation, for both ground-based and space-based use is so specialized that often comercial systems and subsystems do not come up to the required specifications, This makes it necessary to buy high priced components or to delegate

A study led by researcher Laura Scholz, of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) has found, for the first time, observational evidence that the evolution and the properties of the galaxies are conditioned not only by the mass of the stars they contain, but aso by the effect of the dark matter halos which surround them. The results are published in the specialist journal Nature Astronomy. Dark matter comprises around 85% of all the matter in the Universe. Although ordinary matter absorbs, reflects and emits light, dark matter cannot be seen directly, which makes its detection

A pioneering study from the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) which combines laboratory chemistry with astrophysics, has shown for the first time that grains of dust formed by carbon and hydrogen in a highly disordered state, known as HAC, can take part in the formation of fullerenes, carbon molecules which are of key importance for the development of life in the universe, and with potential applications in nanotechnology. The results are published as a Letter to the Editor in the prestigious journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. Fullerenes are carbon molecules which are very big