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Michael J. I. Brown

Associate professor in astronomy, Monash University
I am an observational astronomer, studying how galaxies evolve over billions of years.

I was born and raised in Melbourne’s southeastern suburbs. My interest in astronomy began as a child, when the Voyager spacecraft visited the outer planets. I undertook my undergraduate and postgraduate studies at the University of Melbourne during the 1990s. For my PhD, I used (now antiquated) photographic plates to identify thousands of galaxies and measure their distribution in space.

In 2000 I joined the staff of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory, and started working on surveys of the distant Universe with large ground-based telescopes and satellites. In 2004 I was awarded Princeton University’s Henry Norris Russell Fellowship, and studied the growth of the most massive galaxies. Using thousands of galaxies in the constellation of Bootes, I found that the most massive galaxies have grown slowly over the past seven billion years, which is almost certainly due to mergers of galaxies.

Since 2007 I have been at Monash University’s School of Physics and Astronomy. I am measuring spectra of galaxies across the electromagnetic spectrum, which is useful for measuring the distances to galaxies, the luminosities of galaxies and how rapidly galaxies form stars. I am also using large astronomical surveys to measure how rapidly galaxies are growing, and how this growth compares to the growth of dark matter halos.

Want to buy a home telescope? Tips from a professional astronomer to help you choose

Jan 01, 2024 12:07 pm UTC| Life

While the unaided eye or binoculars can reveal much of the night sky, a telescope reveals so much more. Seeing Saturns rings or the Moons craters with your own eyes can be an oh wow moment. However, choosing the right...

Economy

Myanmar Rebels Disrupt Global Rare Earth Supply, Challenge China's Control

In October, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), an ethnic rebel group in northern Myanmar, seized control of the countrys rare-earth mining belt, disrupting global supply chains and challenging the military junta and...

Asian Stocks Slip on Trump Tariff Fears, Tokyo Inflation Jitters Shake Markets

Most Asian stocks fell on Friday, extending losses as investor anxiety grew over U.S. President Donald Trumps aggressive tariff plans. Japanese markets led regional declines, with the Nikkei 225 and TOPIX sinking over 2%...

US Halts WTO Contributions Amid Trump’s Global Spending Review

The United States has paused its contributions to the World Trade Organization (WTO) as part of President Donald Trumps broader review of funding to international organizations. This move aligns with Trumps America First...

RBA Set to Hold Rates Steady Amid Inflation Concerns and Cautious Outlook

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is expected to keep its official cash rate unchanged at 4.10% during its April 1 policy meeting, according to a Reuters poll of 39 economists. As inflation begins to ease but core...

South Korea’s March Exports Climb on Chip Demand Despite Tariff Concerns

South Koreas exports likely grew for the second straight month in March, driven by strong semiconductor demand, according to a Reuters poll of nine economists. Outbound shipments from Asias fourth-largest economy are...

Politics

DOJ Launches Civil Rights Probe into LA Concealed Carry Delays

The U.S. Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into whether the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department is unlawfully delaying concealed carry permit approvals. The probe, announced by Attorney General...

Judge Halts Trump Administration's Voice of America Shutdown Effort

A federal judge has blocked the Trump administrations move to shut down Voice of America (VOA), temporarily preventing the termination of 1,300 journalists and staff. U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken ruled that the...

Appeals Court Backs Musk's Cuts to USAID During Legal Battle

A U.S. federal appeals court has ruled in favor of Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), allowing them to continue cutting funding and operations at the U.S. Agency for International Development...

West Virginia Bans Food Dyes, Moves to Limit Soda Purchases with Food Stamps

West Virginia has become the first U.S. state to ban artificial food dyes and seek restrictions on soda purchases with food stamps, aligning with health priorities championed by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary...

Judge Blocks Trump-Musk Effort to Shut Down CFPB

A U.S. federal judge has halted the Trump administration and Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency from dismantling the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), delivering a legal blow to their rapid efforts...

Science

Sanofi’s New Hemophilia Drug Qfitlia Gains FDA Approval with Breakthrough Bimonthly Dosing

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Qfitlia, a groundbreaking hemophilia treatment by French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi (NASDAQ: SNY). Designed for patients aged 12 and older with hemophilia A or B,...

What are the chances an asteroid will impact Earth in 2032?

For a few days in mid-February, headlines around the world buzzed about the potential for an asteroid to hit the Earth in 2032 specifically, asteroid 2024 YR4. The chance of this impact rose to a high of 3.1 per cent on...

A new study reveals the structure of violent winds 1,300 light years away

The planet WASP-121b is extreme. Its a gas giant almost twice as big as Jupiter orbiting extremely close to its star50 times closer than the Earth does around the Sun. WASP-121b is so close to its star that tidal forces...

What’s the shape of the universe? Mathematicians use topology to study the shape of the world and everything in it

When you look at your surrounding environment, it might seem like youre living on a flat plane. After all, this is why you can navigate a new city using a map: a flat piece of paper that represents all the places around...

Asteroid has a very small chance of hitting Earth in 2032, but a collision could devastate a city

In December 2024, astronomers in Chile spotted a new asteroid streaking through the sky, which they named 2024 YR4. Whats significant about this 100m-wide space rock is that it has a small chance of hitting Earth in 2023....

Technology

CoreWeave Slashes IPO Size and Price Amid Investor Caution Despite Nvidia Backing

CoreWeave, a leading AI cloud infrastructure provider backed by Nvidia, has significantly downsized its U.S. IPO. The company cut its offering by 23.5%, now aiming to raise $1.5 billion by selling 37.5 million shares at...

Alibaba Stock Gets Boost as Mizuho Touts AI Potential and Hikes Price Target

Alibaba Group (NYSE: BABA, HK:9988) surged in investor interest after Mizuho raised its price target on the Chinese tech giants U.S.-listed shares from $140 to $170, maintaining an Outperform rating. The bullish update...

SK Hynix Sees Chip Order Surge Ahead of Possible U.S. Tariffs, Eyes AI Memory Boom

SK Hynix, the worlds second-largest memory chipmaker, revealed that customers are rushing orders in anticipation of potential U.S. semiconductor tariffs. Speaking at the companys annual shareholder meeting, Lee Sang-rak,...

Former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger Joins Playground Global to Drive Chip Innovation

Pat Gelsinger, former Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) CEO, has joined venture capital firm Playground Global as a general partner, marking a major move in the semiconductor and deep tech investment space. Alongside this role,...

North Korea Unveils AI Suicide Drones and Airborne Radar in Military Upgrade

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has overseen the test of new suicide drones equipped with artificial intelligence (AI), declaring that unmanned systems and AI technologies must be prioritized in modern military...