Astrocent

Frontiers Seminar - Join Us!

We’re excited to invite you to our next Frontiers Seminar, one of Astrocent’s recurring scientific events that brings cutting‑edge research to our community.

📅 April 13, 2026
⏰ 2:00 PM
👉 Prof. Tatsuhiro Naka - Toho University, Japan

Title: “The Paleo Detector – Rare Cosmic-ray Search via Fossil Damage Tracks in Ancient Mineral”

Prof. Naka will introduce the paleo‑detector concept - an innovative method that uses ancient minerals to search for rare cosmic rays, exotic particles, and dark matter over geological timescales. He will outline the scientific motivation and share the latest developments in this emerging field.

Prof. Naka is a leading expert in nano‑tracking technology and ultra‑fine‑grained nuclear emulsions. His work drives major international efforts, including NEWSdm at Gran Sasso, the SHiP experiment at CERN, and the DMICA project exploring ancient minerals for dark matter signatures.

To attend, make sure to register and secure access to the link!
Registration (free): https://tinyurl.com/3p8c93cb

We look forward to seeing you at this inspiring seminar.

We invite all Polish‑speakers to read an in‑depth conversation with Dr. hab. Marcin Kuźniak, titled:

„Naukowcy będą pracować nad detektorami ciemnej materii i fal grawitacyjnych. Rozwiązania mogą mieć zastosowanie w medycynie i bezpieczeństwie”
(Scientists will work on dark‑matter and gravitational‑wave detectors. The solutions may find applications in medicine and security)

In the interview, Dr. Kuźniak explains how researchers at Astrocent tackle some of the most fundamental questions about the structure and evolution of the Universe. Many of these challenges require building large‑scale experiments in extreme locations — deep underground or even on the ocean floor — to shield detectors from cosmic radiation and capture the faintest signals from elusive particles.

The interview offers an interesting look at how frontier research drives technological innovation, with potential applications in medicine, infrastructure monitoring, and public safety.

🔗 Read the full interview: https://info.newseria.pl/?show_news=1987534865&t=216a1326e7c02128dbd66eb991ca4d92

🌌 DarkSide‑20k Collaboration Meeting 2026
On 9–13 March 2026, researchers from around the world gathered at the University of Manchester for this year’s DarkSide‑20k Collaboration Meeting.

Astrocent was represented by Marcin Kuźniak and Rita Antonietti, whose participation was supported by Narodowe Centrum Nauki. Their contributions reflect Astrocent’s ongoing commitment to the DarkSide‑20k project – a next‑generation, argon‑based dark matter detector now under construction at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso in L’Aquila, Italy.

With operations planned to begin in 2027, DarkSide‑20k is entering a decisive phase. The meeting in Manchester marked another important step in shaping the experiment’s scientific strategy and preparing for the challenges ahead. Astrocent is proud to be part of this collective effort to push the boundaries of our understanding of dark matter.

-20k