Understanding the complexities of galaxy evolution and the role of mergers therein remains a fundamental challenge in astrophysics. Since galaxies can only be observed at a single point in cosmic time, tracing their merging history and its impact on a galaxy's mass assembly is heavily dependent on models or cosmological simulations. However, while

High-resolution galaxy spectra encode information about the stellar populations within galaxies. By investigating the properties of these stars, such as their ages, masses, and metallicities, we can gain insights into the underlying physical processes that drive the growth and transformation of galaxies over cosmic time, in particular, the triggers

Context: JWST has recently detected numerous disc galaxies at high-redshifts and there have been observations of cold disc galaxies at z > 4 with ALMA. In the Milky Way, recent studies highlight the presence of metal-poor stars in cold disc orbits, suggesting an ancient disc. This prompts a fundamental question: When did the Milky Way disc form

Some ultra-diffuse galaxies (UDGs) are known to host very large globular cluster (GC) systems, clearly exceeding the expectations for galaxies with such low stellar mass and density and thereby challenging our understanding of star cluster formation and its connection to galaxy evolution. As bright point-sources, GCs in UDGs have been used as

The European Solar Telescope (EST) aims to significantly improve our capabilities to observe the solar chromosphere and understanding the solar chromosphere represents one of the most challenging tasks in solar physics. EST incorporates the most innovative technology, with a simple and efficient design, and the most advanced instrumentation to

The European Solar Telescope (EST) will be the biggest solar telescope in Europe and it is currently concluding its preliminary design that includes adaptive optics from its first light. In this phase of the project, the feasibility of the project is demonstrated and the design must meet the requirements after having mitigated the major risks. The