Danya Alboslani

Have you ever wondered how stars and planets — including our own — formed? It all begins with massive clouds of molecular gas in space, known as molecular clouds. These clouds collapse under gravity, giving rise to stars and protoplanetary disks filled with tiny particles of gas and dust that eventually grow into planets.

It might sound straightforward, but in reality each step of this process is full of mysteries. For instance, how do we accurately model the complex 3D structures of molecular clouds and understand the physical conditions inside them across different environments? Do these properties shape the way stars and planets form? Could the chemical makeup of a cloud influence the kinds of planets that emerge in its disk? And what can the atmospheres of planets reveal about their origins?

Even more, how can we develop new tools and techniques to detect these objects and study them in greater detail?

These are the kinds of questions I explore in my research!