Abstract

The evolution of galaxies is closely connected to the gas environment in which galaxies reside. Traditionally, this tenuous gas that cycles in and out of galaxies has been studied primarily in absorption using quasar spectroscopy. The deployment of large integral field spectrographs at 8 meter telescopes, and in particular MUSE at VLT , has transformed our view of the interplay between the ambient gas and galaxies by enabling highly-complete spectroscopy in emission down to very low surface brightness. In this talk, I will present highlights from multiple large programmes that are finally shedding light onto the link between gas and galaxies as a function of cosmic time (z~0.5-4.5), both by combining large redshift surveys of galaxies with gas seen in absorption, and by directly unveiling the CGM and IGM in emission. These observations further uncover clear evidence that the large-scale galaxy environment plays a significant role in shaping the gas distribution within the CGM of galaxies.