The star formation history of the Magellanic Clouds derived from
  long-period variable star counts
  We present the first reconstruction of the star formation history (SFH) of
the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds (LMC and SMC) using Long Period Variable
stars. These cool evolved stars reach their peak luminosity in the
near-infrared; thus, their K-band magnitudes can be used to derive their birth
mass and age, and hence the SFH can be obtained. In the LMC, we found a 10-Gyr
old single star formation epoch at a rate of $\sim1.5$ M$_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$,
followed by a relatively continuous SFR of $\sim0.2$ M$_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$,
globally. In the core of the LMC (LMC bar), a secondary, distinct episode is
seen, starting 3 Gyr ago and lasting until $\sim0.5$ Gyr ago. In the SMC, two
formation epochs are seen, one $\sim6$ Gyr ago at a rate of $\sim0.28$
M$_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$ and another only $\sim0.7$ Gyr ago at a rate of $\sim0.3$
M$_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$. The latter is also discernible in the LMC and may thus be
linked to the interaction between the Magellanic Clouds and/or Milky Way, while
the formation of the LMC bar may have been an unrelated event. Star formation
activity is concentrated in the central parts of the Magellanic Clouds now, and
possibly has always been if stellar migration due to dynamical relaxation has
been effective. The different initial formation epochs suggest that the LMC and
SMC did not form as a pair, but at least the SMC formed in isolation.
