When viewed at the largest scales, the distribution of galaxies in the Universe resembles a complex, tangled web:
an interconnected network of filaments of galaxies that surround vast, empty voids. Simulations and theory have
established that filaments – the largest, most densely populated structures in the Universe - have formed in the
billions of years after the Big Bang, and serve as conduits for transporting gas into galaxies, which they then
turn into stars. Thanks to advances in telescope instrumentation the current generation of galaxy surveys is
finally able to observe the night sky in sufficient detail as to accurately map the Cosmic Web for the first time,
and begin to understand the role it plays in influencing the evolutionary fate of galaxy.
In this talk, Dr. Alpaslan will review advances in mapping out the filamentary network of the Universe using data
from the Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) survey, as well as discuss some recent advances in understanding how
the galaxies that live in dense filament differ from those that exist alone in isolated voids.
How galaxies are influenced in the Universe - Mehmet Alpaslan (SETI Talks 2016)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CYMENUxYUg