How do disklike galaxies evolve in time? What is the origin of such evolutionary changes? How does the evolution differ among the stellar and the gas component? What is the role of central bars? How is the radial mass profile or the angular momentum and metallicity distribution with abundances of elements heavier than helium affected within the disk? What drives the radial migration of stars? This review provides answers to these questions and discusses a number of internal evolutionary processes and their simulation.

Information on the variety of galaxy masses is essential to understand the structure formation in the early Universe and the processes which contributed. Masses of galaxies (and their constituents such as stars, gas, and dark matter) are key properties for their evolution. This review discusses the various mass estimators by giving overviews on how to identify the contribution from stellar masses by utilizing the total light output, how to determine the total dynamical masses for gas-rich and gas-poor galaxies, how to utilize weak and strong gravitational lensing, and presents a detailed analysis of the Milky Way as well.

After 40 years of work on gravitational-wave detection techniques, a breakthrough is anticipated with the upcoming operation of a new generation of laser interferometers. Detections of astrophysical gravitational-wave sources are expected to become routine events; moreover ongoing research into more ambitious detectors promises an era of precision science in understanding these sources. A review of state of the art for detectors is provided, combined with an outlook for the coming decades.

This review covers different theoretical and experimental aspects of quantum simulation—the emulation of the time evolution of one quantum system by another. The main concepts of digital and analog simulation are discussed, followed by an overview of the required resources and potential limitations. The strengths and weaknesses of some of the physical systems that can be used as quantum simulators are evaluated and the areas of application of quantum simulation are presented with numerous examples ranging from atomic and condensed matter physics to cosmology.

Materials that simultaneously incorporate the properties of ferromagnets and semiconductors, thereby manifesting both spin and electronic degrees of freedom, not only manifest novel physics but also are critical drivers for the emerging field of spintronics. This review focuses on Mn-containing semiconductors, primarily (Ga,Mn)As, and presents an overview of experimental and theoretical advances. Furthermore, the unabated search for new ferromagnetic semiconductors discussed serves as a paradigm for unanticipated discoveries in related materials families embracing superconductors, topological insulators, and organics.

Point defects affect the performance of functional and structural materials in crucial ways. Recent advances in computational techniques have led to first-principles calculations that allow one to model, understand, and predict the effects of defects in solids. This review provides an overview of the current state of this important field.

The concept of weak values was introduced by Aharonov, Albert, and Vaidman in 1988 as a theoretical tool associated with measuring observables in quantum mechanics. In recent years, the whole field has quickly evolved, especially in optics, when it was realized that weak values are extremely useful for certain experimental tasks. This Colloquium reviews the experimental significance of the weak value and latest applications in this exciting new area of research.

Fusion of heavy nuclei remains an area of intense research. Fusion reactions at extremely low energies between carbon and oxygen are important during the late stellar evolution and nucleosynthesis in massive stars. The quest to extend the periodic table of the elements relies on heavy-ion fusion to reach superheavy isotopes at the limit of mass and charge. Finally, fusion reactions involving radioactive nuclei elucidate the effects of loosely bound nucleons on many-particle quantum tunneling. In this article, recent experimental and theoretical developments in heavy-ion fusion research, in a wide range from deep sub-barrier energies to energies well above the interaction barrier, are reviewed.