Christian Magnan

Christian Magnan
Nationality	French
Alma mater	École Normale Supérieure
Known for	Critique of dark matter, dark energy and modern cosmology
Scientific career
Fields	Astrophysics, Cosmology
Institutions	Institut d'astrophysique de Paris, Collège de France, Université de Montpellier II

Christian Magnan (1942–2018) was a French astrophysicist known for his outspoken criticism of contemporary cosmology, particularly the concepts of dark matter and dark energy. He is listed in The Worldwide List of Dissident Scientists.

Career

Born in Marseille in 1942, Magnan studied at the École Normale Supérieure and pursued his research career at the Institut d'astrophysique de Paris, where his work concerned the theory of stellar atmospheres and the formation of spectra in stars whose dynamic states could not be adequately described by classical equilibrium models. He served in a laboratory of the Collège de France and, from 1991, taught and researched at the Université de Montpellier II as part of the Groupe de Recherche en Astronomie et Astrophysique du Languedoc. He was awarded the Prix Damoiseau by the Académie des Sciences.

Views on cosmology

Magnan became widely known as a critical voice against what he regarded as unfounded speculation in modern cosmology. He argued that cosmologists had "engaged in blind alleys" by building models on concepts he considered devoid of physical meaning, singling out dark matter, dark energy and the accelerating expansion of the universe. He also objected to the physical use of mathematical infinity, stating that the mathematical notion of infinity has no physical significance, and disputed claims about the fine-tuning of the universe. He held that scientific conclusions should rest on sound theory and indisputable observation, and considered the evidence for dark matter inconclusive. These positions place him outside the cosmological mainstream.

Books

Magnan wrote several books aimed at a general audience, including La Nature sans foi ni loi (1988), Et Newton croqua la pomme (1990), La science pervertie and Le théorème du jardin (2011).

External links

• lacosmo.com — Christian Magnan's website
• Christian Magnan on French Wikipedia