Abstract

Cosmic-Lab is a five-year project aimed at probing the complex interplay between dynamics and stellar evolution by using Galactic globular clusters as cosmic laboratories, and the most exotic by-products of this interplay (blue straggler stars, millisecond pulsars, and intermeditae-mass black holes) as test-particles. The project has been funded by the European Research Council (ERC), within the 2010 Advanced Grant call. The Principal Investigator is Francesco R. Ferraro of the Physics and Astronomy Department of the University of Bologna. The project will end on 2016 April 30th and this international conference is meant to be its final action. The purpose of the conference is to put together theorists and observers for discussings the status of the research on the COSMIC-LAB topics. Accordingly, the conference is organized in four main sections: blue straggler stars (BSSs), millisecond pulsars (MSPs), intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs) and dynamics of collisional systems (Dyn).