The Center for Mathematical Modeling (CMM) at the University of Chile hosted the first interdisciplinary meeting on phylogenetic trees in astronomy. Held on April 19, the event aimed to showcase results, compare research, and strengthen ties in the search for the origin of the Milky Way. With four national and international panelists, the session covered topics including computational astronomy, biology, mathematics, spectroscopy, and phylogenetics.
Unlike the genetic DNA connection between terrestrial species, in galaxies this role is played by chemical fingerprints. This is why the evolutionary model from biology, through phylogenetics, is being explored for application in astronomy. Tomás Peña, a biologist; Luis Martí, a computer scientist from Inria Chile; and Facundo Gómez, a computational astronomer from the University of La Serena, were panelists at the meeting.
For Tomás Peña, a researcher at the Millennium Institute iBio, combining these scientific disciplines is something entirely new. “Until a few months ago, I had never heard or read about galactic phylogeny. It was really novel, because you get used to the idea that the tools you use are meant for one thing, but realizing they can be applied to other areas of research is impressive. It makes you understand that knowledge is quite flexible and highly compatible.”
Through the application of mathematics, it is possible to develop models that describe the movement of celestial bodies, map outer space, and record the discovery of new celestial objects. During the event, mathematician and 2023 National Prize for Exact Sciences winner, Jaime San Martín, had the opportunity to attend and speak with the researchers. “This event was very engaging—astronomy has always been a treasure trove of problems for mathematicians, and it still is. ERIS is a great group; I love the energy they have, and the problems they’re tackling are very tough, but I’ve seen progress. These meetings are special for that. Mathematics is a language for other sciences; it allows us to cross boundaries from one field to another.”
With strong attendance from both academics and students interested in this new line of research, the meeting was organized by the Millennium Nucleus ERIS, where its director and panelist, astronomer Paula Jofré, had the opportunity to deliver the welcome address before presenting. At the end of the event, Jofré remarked: “This is an important milestone—we had wanted to do this for a long time. The panelists who came had been wanting to meet, and we all wanted this gathering to happen. Hopefully, this plants a new seed to keep building on. We’re grateful to the CMM for letting us come and for welcoming us as if we were at home.”