Search Results

"Smashing Out" More New Particles Unknown to Humanity — Exploring the Upgraded Beijing Electron-Positron Collider After Its Second Renovation

Beside Yuquan Road in Beijing, beneath an ancient courtyard surrounded by lush greenery, lies a giant scientific facility shaped like a badminton racket — the Beijing Electron-Positron Collider. Inside this 240-meter-circumference ring-shaped device, electrons and positrons can be accelerated to near the speed of light and smashed head-on into each other. By studying the microscopic particles produced in these collisions, scientists explore the fundamental laws governing the microscopic world, verify existing physical theories, and search for unknown new particles. Recently, a reporter visited this facility to uncover the secrets of this national heavyweight that has just completed its second major upgrade. After this renovation, key indicators such as collision energy and collision luminosity have been significantly improved, achieving a historic breakthrough in core performance. Since its completion...

2026-08-11

"Triple-Arrow Assault" Confirms a Cosmic "Natural Accelerator" Ejecting Protons at Energies 100 Times That of the Large Hadron Collider

Astronomers, using three observation facilities operating in different wavelength bands, have confirmed a mysterious celestial body in the direction of the Aquila constellation in the Milky Way as a natural cosmic accelerator. This object is continuously ejecting high-speed particles with energies far exceeding any man-made accelerator on Earth, equivalent to 100 times that of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). This discovery provides key clues for tracing the origin of the highest-energy cosmic rays in the Milky Way, and the research findings were published in the latest issue of The Astrophysical Journal. A size comparison between the gamma-ray source (large circle) and the Moon (small circle). Image credit: The Astrophysical Journal. PeV (peta-electronvolt) energy cosmic rays are high-energy diffuse gamma-ray radiation, and...

2026-08-11

Russia's Atommash Commissions Ultrasonic Weld Inspection Robot to Boost NPP Equipment Testing Efficiency

Atommash, a plant under the mechanical engineering division of Russia's State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom), has recently commissioned a new ultrasonic inspection robot for welded joints, used for weld quality checks on large nuclear power equipment such as nuclear reactors and steam generators. The plant is located in Rostov Oblast, Russia. The new equipment employs two scanning modes and can identify weld defect types and locate defect coordinates. Compared with traditional inspection methods involving manual probe movement, the robot can automatically perform scanning on components with complex geometries, increasing inspection speed by approximately 30% while reducing the need for manual work in hard-to-reach areas. At present, Atommash already operates...

2026-08-11

South Korea's semiconductor cluster adds about 21 GW of new power demand; government to study whether to build new nuclear units

South Korea's Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment, Kim Sung-hwan, said on the 10th that the new electricity demand from the Yongin—Hoseon semiconductor industry cluster is approximately 21 GW, equivalent to the power supply capacity of about 15 nuclear units based on an estimate of 1.4 GW per unit. The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment plans to seek expert and public opinions before announcing the 12th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand in October, and will decide accordingly whether to push for the construction of new nuclear units. Kim Sung-hwan stated that the electricity demand of the semiconductor industry has increased significantly compared to the past. The South Korean government has decided to raise renewable energy capacity from 78 GW to 100 GW by 2030, but whether the increase in renewable energy alone can meet the new demand still requires further assessment.

2026-08-11

Danube Water Levels Recover, Hungary Restarts Second Turbine at Paks Nuclear Power Plant

On August 10, as the Danube River's water levels recovered, Hungary began restarting a previously constrained turbine at the Paks Nuclear Power Plant. The Paks plant uses Danube water for cooling and normally supplies nearly half of Hungary's electricity. Due to heatwaves and persistent drought, the Danube's water levels fell to historic lows in recent weeks, reducing the plant's generating capacity to about 10%, with only one of its eight turbines remaining operational. According to available information, Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar stated on the 10th that the Danube's water level had risen 19 centimeters from the low point recorded last week, and that restart work on the second turbine at the Paks plant had begun, with power generation expected to resume by Monday evening. He also previously mentioned...

2026-08-11

The 8th International Radiation Protection School Held in Stockholm

The Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, in collaboration with the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM) and the Centre for Radiation Protection Research (CRPR) at Stockholm University, will hold the 8th International Radiation Protection School (IRPS) in Stockholm, Sweden, from 10 to 14 August 2026. This five-day course is designed for early-career professionals in the nuclear and related fields, with a focus on helping participants systematically understand the international radiation protection system and master its practical application in emerging scenarios. The curriculum will cover the scientific foundations, historical evolution, development trajectory of the radiation protection system, and its translation into regulatory and national frameworks. According to the organisers, participants...

2026-08-11

TAF-ID database 22nd edition released, expanding advanced nuclear fuel thermodynamic evaluation data

The International Thermodynamic Database for Advanced Fuels (TAF-ID) project has been running for over a decade. The project employs the CALPHAD (Calculation of Phase Diagrams) method to develop a thermodynamic database that supports computational analysis of advanced nuclear fuel materials, enabling prediction of phase diagrams and thermodynamic properties of relevant systems. According to project documentation, Version 22 of the TAF-ID database has been released. This update adds and revises assessment data for material systems including Na-U, Na-O, Na-UO₂, U-Ru, U-Si, Al-Si-U, Fe-Pu-U, and O-N-U, and updates gas-phase data based on the latest publicly available information. The database assessment scope has been expanded to 44 elements, 272 binary systems, 151 ternary systems, and 3...

2026-08-11

First Heavy Ion Beam Obtained at DC-140 Accelerator of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna, Russia

The Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) in Dubna, Russia, has completed the construction of the DC-140 accelerator complex and obtained an accelerated heavy ion beam for the first time during commissioning on August 4. This achievement marks significant progress in the JINR applied technology development program and signifies that a new ion beam platform designed to meet scientific and industrial needs for decades to come has entered its critical commissioning phase. The DC-140 project was launched in 2020 to replace the existing U-200 and IC-100 cyclotron complex. The new facility is designed to address a wide range of fundamental and applied research needs, including solid-state physics, radiation materials science, material surface modification, and track membrane production...

2026-08-11

Long-term overhaul of heating networks launched in satellite town of Smolensk NPP

A large-scale modernization of the municipal heating system has been launched in Desnogorsk, the satellite town of Russia's Smolensk Nuclear Power Plant. The project is planned to last 15 years and is expected to replace more than 30 kilometers of main heating pipelines, accounting for about one-third of the city's heating network infrastructure. The work is being carried out by AtomTeploElektroSet, a company affiliated with Rosenergoatom, which operates public utility services including heating, water supply, and drainage in cities hosting nuclear power plants. Currently, renovation work has begun in the first and third residential districts of Desnogorsk. The project's progress is linked to Desnogorsk being included in...

2026-08-11

Rostov NPP's Self-Developed Device Cuts Instrument Calibration Cycle from 60 Days to 5 Days

The metrology team at Russia's Rostov Nuclear Power Plant has recently developed and put into operation a device for calibrating high-precision measuring instruments, reducing the relevant instrument calibration cycle from approximately 60 working days to 5 working days—a twelvefold reduction in time. The project was completed by the plant's metrology personnel within the framework of the Rosatom Production System. Previously, some high-precision instruments at the plant requiring regular maintenance and calibration had to be sent to specialized laboratories, with the entire process involving document preparation, equipment transportation, cargo escort, and coordination with external personnel, typically taking about two months. With the new device in operation, calibration work can now be...

2026-08-11

UK's Harlette Capital seeks partners to develop lunar micro nuclear reactor

UK-based innovative company Harlette Capital has recently issued a Request for Information (RFI), seeking support from industry and research institutions for the development of a micro nuclear reactor for lunar missions. The company stated that the project aims to provide continuous power for long-term scientific research, communications, infrastructure construction, and future crewed exploration on the lunar surface. Harlette Capital is previously better known for its luxury fashion brand Harlette. The company also operates a separate innovation business segment, which is positioning itself in space and energy assets and advancing a small modular reactor (SMR) project named Alpha Moon. According to the company, the RFI has been sent to...

2026-08-11

Arkansas Evaluates Six Candidate Areas for New Nuclear Power Development

A latest research report in the U.S. state of Arkansas concludes that six areas in the state could serve as candidate sites for future nuclear power development, and that new reactors are both "feasible and necessary" locally. The report states that, under a relatively aggressive timeline, a new nuclear power plant in Arkansas could begin operation by the mid-2030s. The 533-page study was completed by Excel Services Corporation, a Maryland-based consulting firm, commissioned by the Arkansas Legislature's Joint Energy Committee. The six candidate areas listed in the report include Flint Creek in Benton County, the existing Arkansas Nuclear One (...

2026-08-11

Kyoto Fusioneering to Relocate U.S. Headquarters to Oak Ridge

Kyoto Fusioneering (KF) will relocate its U.S. headquarters to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, investing $46.9 million in Anderson County and creating 51 new jobs. The project will build critical fusion testing infrastructure, with a focus on supporting the development of the fusion nuclear testing facility UNITY-3. UNITY-3 is planned to be built at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) through a public-private partnership. The facility has received support from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and has been listed as a national priority in its final "Fusion Science and Technology Roadmap." According to the plan, UNITY-3 will employ a deuterium-tritium (D-T) fusion neutron source to validate tritium breeding capabilities and related performance under conditions approaching a real fusion nuclear environment...

2026-08-11

Unit 2 of Romania's Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant Still at Risk of Shutdown

Ionel Scrioșteanu, State Secretary of Romania's Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, stated that Unit 2 of the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant is currently still in operation, but the risk of shutdown has not been eliminated. On August 8, Romanian authorities took emergency measures by sinking four fully loaded barges into the Danube River to raise local water levels, increasing the water intake into the plant's cooling water system to ensure the cooling needs of the reactor units. Scrioșteanu said on social media that the related actions have achieved positive results, allowing Unit 2 of the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant to continue operating...

2026-08-11

Inner Mongolia Nuclear and Radiation Monitoring Center Organizes Standard Pre-Research Exchange Meeting

In accordance with the arrangement of the radiation monitoring standard pre-research project, the Inner Mongolia Nuclear and Radiation Monitoring Center (hereinafter referred to as the Inner Mongolia Center) undertakes the pre-research task for the standard "Determination of Total Uranium and Thorium in Soil and Sediment - Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry." To standardize the inter-laboratory method validation process and ensure the smooth progress of the validation work, the Inner Mongolia Center recently organized a standard pre-research method validation exchange meeting in Baotou City, attended by experts from the Radiation Environmental Monitoring Technical Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment for on-site guidance. Seven laboratories from across the country participated in this validation exchange meeting, including provincial-level radiation environmental monitoring institutions and laboratories in the nuclear industry, nuclear technology applications,...

2026-08-11