We consider supersymmetric models with right-handed neutrinos where neutrino masses are purely Dirac-type. In this model, right-handed sneutrino can be the lightest supersymmetric particle and can be a viable candidate of cold dark matter of the universe. Right-handed sneutrinos are never thermalized in the early universe because of weakness of Yukawa interaction, but are effectively produced by decays of various superparticles. We show that the present mass density of right-handed sneutrino can be consistent with the observed dark matter density.

We study the stau lifetime in a scenario with the LSP taken to be a neutralino and the NLSP being a stau, based on the minimal supersymmetric Standard Model. The mass difference between the LSP and NLSP, $\delta m$, must satisfy $\delta m/m_{\tilde{\chi}} \sim$ a few % or less for coannihilation to occur, where $m_{\tilde{\chi}}$ is the neutralino mass. We calculate the stau lifetime from the decay modes $\tilde{\tau}\to \tilde{\chi}\tau$, $\tilde{\chi}\nu_\tau\pi$, and $\tilde{\chi}\nu_\tau\mu(e)\nu_{\mu(e)}$ and discuss its dependence on various parameters. We find that the lifetime is in the range $10^{-22}$--$10^{16}$ sec for $10^{-2} \le \delta m \le 10$ GeV. We also discuss the connection with lepton flavor violation if there is mixing between sleptons.

Suppose, the Universe comes into existence (as classical spacetime) already with an empty spherically symmetric macroscopic wormhole present in it. Classically the wormhole would evolve into a part of the Schwarzschild space and thus would not allow any signal to traverse it. I consider semiclassical corrections to that picture and build a model of an evaporating wormhole. The model is based on the assumption that the vacuum polarization and its backreaction on the geometry of the wormhole are weak. The lack of information about the era preceding the emergence of the wormhole results in appearance of three parameters which -- along with the initial mass -- determine the evolution of the wormhole. For some values of these parameters the wormhole turns out to be long-lived enough to be traversed and to transform into a time machine.

In this letter we complete a previously introduced formalism to study the gauge-invariant metric fluctuations from a noncompact Kaluza-Klein theory of gravity, to study the evolution of the early universe. The evolution of both, metric and inflaton field fluctuations are reciprocally related. We obtain that <\delta\rho/\rho_b$ depends on the coupling of $\Phi$ with $\delta\phi$ and the dominant spectral index of its spectrum is negative: $-2.103 < n_2 < -2$.

I discuss the historical and conceptual roots of reasoning about the parameters of fundamental physics and cosmology based on selection effects. I argue concretely that such reasoning can and should be combined with arguments based on symmetry and dynamics; it supplements them, but does not replace them.

Gravitational collapse is analyzed in the Brane-World by arguing that regularity of five-dimensional geodesics require that stars on the brane have an atmosphere. For the simple case of a spherically symmetric cloud of non-dissipating dust, conditions are found for which the collapsing star evaporates and approaches the Hawking behavior as the (apparent) horizon is being formed. The effective energy of the star vanishes at a finite radius and the star afterwards re-expands and "anti-evaporates". Israel junction conditions across the brane (holographically related to the matter trace anomaly) and the projection of the Weyl tensor on the brane (holographically interpreted as the quantum back-reaction on the brane metric) contribute to the total energy as, respectively, an "anti-evaporation" and an "evaporation" term.

The string effective action at tree level contains, in its bosonic sector, the Einstein-Hilbert term, the dilaton, and the axion, besides scalar and gauge fields coming from the Ramond-Ramond sector. The reduction to four dimensions brings to scene moduli fields. We generalize this effective action by introducing two arbitrary parameters, $\omega$ and $m$, connected with the dilaton and axion couplings. In this way, more general frameworks can be analyzed. Regular solutions with a bounce can be obtained for a range of (negative) values of the parameter $\omega$ which, however, exclude the pure string configuration ($\omega = - 1$). We study the evolution of scalar perturbations in such cosmological scenarios. The predicted primordial power spectrum decreases with the wavenumber with spectral index $n_s=-2$, in contradiction with the results of the $WMAP$. Hence, all such effective string motivated cosmological bouncing models seem to be ruled out, at least at the tree level approximation.

We investigate the evolution of the non-linear long wavelength fluctuations during preheating after inflation. By using the separate universe approach, the temporal evolution of the power spectrum of the scalar fields and the curvature variable is obtained numerically. We found that the amplitude of the large scale fluctuations is suppressed after non-linear evolution during preheating.

We discuss a D-term inflation scenario where a right-handed sneutrino can be an inflaton field leading to a viable inflation and leptogenesis, with a minimal form of K\"ahler potential. The decay of an inflaton sneutrino can non-thermally create large enough lepton asymmetry. Its entropy production is also big enough to ameliorate the gravitino problem caused by too high a reheating temperature from the decay of a symmetry breaking field.

Energy spectrum of a weak coupling polaron is considered in a cylindrical quantum dot. An analytical expression for the polaron energy shift is obtained using a modified pertubation theory.

We describe a rigorous construction, using matched asymptotic expansions, which establishes under very general conditions that local terrestrial and solar-system experiments will measure the effects of varying `constants' of Nature occurring on cosmological scales to computable precision. In particular, `constants' driven by scalar fields will still be found to evolve in time when observed within virialised structures like clusters, galaxies, and planetary systems. This provides a justification for combining cosmological and terrestrial constraints on the possible time variation of many assumed `constants' of Nature, including the fine structure constant and Newton's gravitation constant.

The classical dynamics of the tachyon scalar field of cubic string field theory is considered on a cosmological background. Starting from a nonlocal action with arbitrary tachyon potential, which encodes the bosonic and several supersymmetric cases, we study the equations of motion in the Hamilton-Jacobi formalism and with a generalized Friedmann equation, appliable in braneworld or modified gravity models. The cases of cubic (bosonic) and quartic (supersymmetric) tachyon potential in general relativity are automatically included. We comment the validity of the slow-roll approximation, the stability of the cosmological perturbations, and the relation between this tachyon and the Dirac-Born-Infeld one.

We propose a class of actions for the spacetime metric that introduce corrections to the Einstein-Hilbert Lagrangian depending on the logarithm of some curvature scalars. We show that for some choices of these invariants the models are ghost free and modify Newtonian gravity below a characteristic acceleration scale given by a_0 = c\mu, where c is the speed of light and \mu is a parameter of the model that also determines the late-time Hubble constant: H_0 \sim \mu. In these models, besides the massless spin two graviton, there is a scalar excitation of the spacetime metric whose mass depends on the background curvature. This dependence is such that this scalar, although almost massless in vacuum, becomes massive and effectively decouples when one gets close to any source and we recover an acceptable weak field limit at short distances. There is also a (classical) ``running'' of Newton's constant with the distance to the sources and gravity is easily enhanced at large distances by a large ratio. We comment on the possibility of building a model with a MOND-like Newtonian limit that could explain the rotation curves of galaxies without introducing Dark Matter using this kind of actions. We also explore briefly the characteristic gravitational phenomenology that these models imply: besides a long distance modification of gravity they also predict deviations from Newton's law at short distances. This short distance scale depends on the local background curvature of spacetime, and we find that for experiments on the Earth surface it is of order \sim 0.1mm, while this distance would be bigger in space where the local curvature is significantly lower.

A dynamical model for the dark energy is presented in which the ``quintessence'' field is the axion, $a_Z$, of a spontaneously broken global $U(1)_{A}^{(Z)}$ symmetry whose potential is induced by the instantons of a new gauge group $SU(2)_Z$. The $SU(2)_Z$ coupling becomes large at a scale $\Lambda_Z \sim 10^{-3} eV$ starting from an initial value $M$ at high energy which is of the order of the Standard Model (SM) couplings at the same scale $M$. A perspective on a possible unification of $SU(2)_Z$ with the SM will be briefly discussed. We present a scenario in which $a_Z$ is trapped in a false vacuum characterized by an energy density $\sim (10^{-3} eV)^4$. The lifetime of this false vacuum is estimated to be extremely large. Other estimates relevant to the ``coincidence issue'' include the ages of the universe when the $a_Z$ potential became effective, when the acceleration ``began'' and when the energy density of the false vacuum became comparable to that of (baryonic and non-baryonic) matter. Other cosmological consequences include a possible candidate for the weakly interacting (WIMP) Cold Dark Matter as well as a scenario for leptogenesis. A brief discussion on possible laboratory detections of some of the particles contained in the model will also be presented.

We consider a physically viable cosmological model that has a field dependent Gauss-Bonnet coupling in its effective action, in addition to a standard scalar field potential. The presence of such terms in the four dimensional effective action gives rise to several novel effects, such as, a four dimensional flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker universe undergoing a cosmic inflation at early epoch, as well as a cosmic acceleration at late times. The model predicts, during inflation, spectra of both density perturbations and gravitational waves that may fall well within the experimental bounds. Furthermore, this model provides a mechanism for reheating of the early universe, which is similar to a model with some friction terms added to the equation of motion of the scalar field, which can imitate energy transfer from the scalar field to matter

The most entropic fluid can be related to a dense gas of black holes that we use to study the beginning of the universe. We encounter difficulties to compatibilize an adiabatic expansion with the growing area for the coalescence of black holes. This problem may be circumvented for a quantum black hole fluid, whose classical counterpart can be described by a percolating process at the critical point. This classical regime might be related to the energy content of the current universe.