We are a small active group of researchers working in Cosmology at Louvain University. Cosmology and Astronomy, while being very beautiful and predictive, are not concerned with cosmetics nor astrology. Instead, we do Science and study the whole Universe from its very first instants to the present times.
Our expertises range from theories of the Early Universe to Observational Cosmology. On the theory side, we are working on Cosmic Inflation, Cosmological Perturbations, Extra-dimensions, General Relativity, Modified Gravity, Primordial Black Holes, Topological Defects… On the observational side, we have been actively involved in data analysis for the PLANCK satellite and are now turning to the next generation of CMB polarization experiments, such as the LiteBIRD mission. We are also part of the EUCLID mission which is a space telescope dedicated to the observation of the large scale structures of the Universe. Another part of our researches is concerned with astrophysical subjects such as the 21cm radiation from the Epoch of Reionization and some of us are involved in the SKA giant radio telescope. Gravitational Wave Cosmology is also part of our researches and we are part of the Belgian task force for the LISA mission.
CURL has been forked from the Center of Cosmology, Particle Physics and Phenomenology (CP3) in 2018 and we are the core of what was the Cosmology Group at CP3. This has been triggered by various reasons. First, a change in policy in the Belgian funding agencies giving financial priority to subject-oriented research topics. The great diversity of research directions hosted at CP3 ended up being an handicap. Then, most of the CP3 activities in the past have been dedicated to Particle Physics, which has led to the discovery of the Brout-Englert-Higgs boson. The next scientific revolutions may come from the Sky and the home university of G. Lemaître should certainly contribute to this adventure. In our actual research works, we are of course still sharing many things with CP3. Both groups are hosted at the same place under the Institute of Mathematics and Physics (IRMP).