How are galaxies made?
Ever Since the 1930s when galaxies were confirmed as the fundamental building blocks of the universe, their origin and evolution have remained a central focus of physical cosmology. Speculation about the nature of galaxies dates back to the 18th century and the work of thinkers such as Thomas Wright of Durham and Immanuel Kant. Today, the prevailing theoretical ideas revolve around a 20-year-old suggestion that the origin of galaxies should be sought in quantum fluctuations generated at the time of the big bang. As with all problems in physics, the solution to the mystery of galaxy formation requires the interplay between theoretical ideas and experimental data. In this case the data are observations of galaxies stretching back over the history of the universe.
