The main goal of this Thesis is to study the formation of the elements heavier than Fe in asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars. These elements are formed when iron peak nuclei present in the intershell experience a series of slow neutron-captures and β− decays to form isotopes of heavier elements (the slow neutron-capture process, hereafter s

Two exotic elements have been introduced into the standard cosmological model: non-baryonic dark matter and dark energy. The success in converting a hypothesis into a solid theory depends strongly on whether we are able to solve the problems in explaining observations with these dark elements and whether the solutions of these problems are unique

Polarimetry provides key physical information on the properties of interacting binary systems, sometimes difficult to obtain by any other type of observation. Indeed, radiation processes such as scattering by free electrons in the hot plasma above accretion discs, cyclotron emission by mildly relativistic electrons in the accretion shocks on the

In a recent paper, Zioutas and Valachovic (2018) claim that dark matter is responsible for a significant fraction of the melanoma skin cancer. This conclusion is drawn from their observation of a significant correlation between skin melanoma incidence in the US and the inner planets positions (especially those of Mercury and Earth). Here, I present

Under Newtonian dynamics, the relative motion of the components of a binary star should follow a Keplerian scaling with separation. Once orientation effects and a distribution of ellipticities are accounted for, dynamical evolution can be modeled to include the effects of Galactic tides and stellar mass perturbers, over the lifetime of the solar

Several works have tried either to demonstrate or reject the notion that the orientation of the main axis of a Roman city was deliberate since its choice might add an extra sacred dimension to the entire urban space [González-García et al. (Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry 14(3):107-119, 2014; Magli (Oxford Journal of Archaeology 21(6):63