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Stars and star clusters form by gravitational collapse in regions of high density in the dynamically evolving multi-phase interstellar medium. The process of stellar birth is controlled by the intricate interplay between the self-gravity of the star-forming gas and various opposing agents, such as supersonic turbulence, magnetic fields, radiative feedback, cosmic rays, and gas pressure. It is modified by the thermodynamic response of the gas, which is determined by the balance between various heating and cooling processes, which in turn depend on the chemical composition of the material. I will discuss examples of recent progress and controversy, specifically, I will focus about current attempts to bring numerical simulations and theoretical models closer to the observational domain. |
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