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Italian Neutrino Telescope Undersea Network Captures Fin Whale Songs

August 5 news, after months of silence, fin whale songs have once again been recorded in the southern Ionian Sea. This observation was jointly completed by multiple experiments connected to the underwater infrastructure of the Southern National Laboratory of the Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics (LNS-INFN), involving three projects: ITINERIS, LOWNOISER, and VONGOLA. The related work was carried out with the participation of LNS-INFN and the Sicilian Center for Nuclear Physics and Structure of Matter (CSFNSM). The detection occurred in late winter. At that time, the eastern Mediterranean region was affected by strong anthropogenic noise from a long-term geophysical survey of offshore oil and gas resources, and only weeks had passed since the transit of Hurricane Harry. Researchers identified fin whale signals amid the complex acoustic background...

2026-08-09

DXA Screening Among U.S. Medicare Population Declines 35% Over Nearly Two Decades

A new study shows that between 2005 and 2023, the rate of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) examinations among U.S. Medicare beneficiaries declined significantly, by 35%. DXA is commonly used for bone density testing and osteoporosis-related screening, and the findings suggest that disparities in screening access across different populations are widening. Researchers analyzed claims data from more than 5 million Medicare beneficiaries. The results showed that DXA utilization fell from 7,255 exams per 100,000 beneficiaries in 2005 to 4,690 per 100,000 beneficiaries in 2023. The study was published in Osteoporosis International. The decline was not uniform across populations...

2026-08-08

Laser spectroscopy reveals for the first time the precise nuclear shape of fermium-255, offering new clues in the search for superheavy elements

An international research team has, for the first time, precisely determined the nuclear structure of the actinide fermium-255, confirming that its nucleus exhibits a pronounced prolate deformation, similar to a rugby ball. The study, published in *Physical Review Letters*, was conducted in collaboration with 18 institutions, including Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz in Germany, the Helmholtz Institute Mainz, and the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. The findings not only correct several unreasonable nuclear property values in previous standard data tables but also provide crucial experimental validation for modern nuclear theory models. Fermium is a synthetic heavy element that does not exist in nature. Fermium-255 contains 100 protons and 155 neutrons, making its experimental production extremely challenging. The research team...

2026-08-08

Unit 4 of Slovakia's Mochovce Nuclear Power Plant Reaches First Criticality

Slovenské Elektrárne stated that Unit 4 of the Mochovce Nuclear Power Plant reached first reactor criticality at 22:10 local time on August 6, and achieved minimum controllable power at 22:31. This is a key milestone in the pre-commissioning work of the unit, indicating that the reactor is ready for subsequent testing. First criticality refers to the first time the nuclear fuel in the core achieves a self-sustaining fission chain reaction. Slovenské Elektrárne stated that first criticality and reaching minimum controllable power are important steps in the commissioning process of a nuclear power plant, used to confirm the unit's readiness to enter the next phase of testing...

2026-08-08

JINR delegation participates in the 51st Vietnam Conference on Theoretical Physics

From August 3 to 6, the 51st Vietnam Conference on Theoretical Physics (VCTP-51) was held in Nha Trang, Vietnam. A delegation of researchers from the Bogoliubov Laboratory of Theoretical Physics and the Laboratory of Information Technologies of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research attended the conference, engaging in exchanges with more than 170 scholars from Vietnam, Germany, India, China, Pakistan, Russia, Taiwan, the Philippines, Japan, and other countries and regions. The conference topics covered multiple frontier directions in theoretical physics, including high-energy physics, nuclear physics, condensed matter physics, and cosmology, as well as interdisciplinary research areas such as physics beyond the Standard Model, molecular physics, quantum optics and quantum information, biomaterials, and biomolecules. The broad agenda...

2026-08-08

Russian Company InterPolaris Completes Testing of Heat Exchangers and Mechanical Filters for Nuclear-Powered Icebreakers

Russian company InterPolaris has achieved a significant milestone in the manufacturing project of equipment for nuclear-powered icebreakers, successfully completing tests on two shell-and-tube heat exchangers and two mechanical filters. These units are designed for the specific operating environment of nuclear-powered icebreakers, and passing the tests means the products meet design requirements in terms of strength, sealing, stability, and long-term service capability. The shell-and-tube heat exchangers that passed verification are primarily used to heat water containing decontamination solutions using heating steam. Although this is a common heat exchange process in principle, in the icebreaker application scenario, the equipment must meet requirements far exceeding ordinary industrial standards. This horizontally arranged equipment is designed with consideration for continuous operation under prolonged ship listing conditions, with fixed structures capable of withstanding loads from various directions, and is required to maintain stable parameters and reliable sealing under complex sea conditions and operating regimes.

2026-08-09

Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant to Raise Spent Fuel Pool Water Levels to Mitigate Power Outage Risks

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated that the operator of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has decided to raise the water levels in the spent fuel pools on site to enhance safety buffer capacity in the event of a prolonged loss of external power. The primary purpose of raising the water levels is to extend the time before water in the spent fuel pools begins to boil and evaporate under extreme conditions where external power to the plant is interrupted for an extended period, diesel reserves are depleted, and emergency diesel generators can no longer supply power to the cooling systems. Spent fuel pools are used to store used nuclear fuel underwater, typically for at least five years, allowing its radioactivity and residual heat to gradually decay, making continuous cooling a critical element of nuclear safety. All six units at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant...

2026-08-08

228 Research Reactors Worldwide in Operation, Supporting Medical Isotope Production and Neutron Science Innovation

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency on August 7, research reactors continue to drive innovation in science, medicine, and industry worldwide. Currently, 228 research reactors are in operation across 54 countries, with another 23 under construction or in the planning stage. Unlike nuclear reactors used for power generation, these reactors primarily produce neutrons to support medical, industrial, agricultural, geological, forensic, and nuclear science research. A research reactor pool photographed from above. (Photo: IAEA) In the medical field, research reactors are a vital source of medical radioisotopes. Among them, technetium-99m is widely used for diagnosing cancer and diseases of the heart, brain, and bones; a large number of medical diagnostic and therapeutic procedures worldwide rely on this isotope. Other radioisotopes such as iodine-131 are also used in the treatment of cancer and thyroid diseases. The IAEA states that radioisotopes produced by research reactors serve millions of patients globally and are an essential component of modern nuclear medicine systems.

2026-08-09

Cancer Cryoablation Treatments at Southeast Region Nuclear Medicine Center in Korea Exceed 100 Cases

The Southeast Region Nuclear Medicine Center announced on August 8 that since introducing cancer cryoablation in 2024, the center has completed over 100 related procedures, providing treatment to a total of 104 cancer patients. Cryoablation is a minimally invasive tumor treatment method. During the procedure, doctors insert a thin treatment needle precisely into the tumor site under CT or ultrasound imaging guidance, freezing the lesion at ultra-low temperatures of minus 40 degrees Celsius or lower to cause cancer cell necrosis. As the low-temperature freezing itself has a certain anesthetic effect, this technique helps reduce patient pain, minimize damage to surrounding normal tissues, and promote faster postoperative recovery. According to the center, among the patients treated so far, there are 58 cases of liver cancer and liver metastases, 17 cases of primary lung cancer, recurrent lung cancer, and lung metastases, and 29 cases of renal cancer. Among them, 8 patients underwent treatment for two lesions simultaneously in a single procedure. Liver...

2026-08-08

CNNC Delegation Visits Chen Dexin, Party Secretary and Chairman of China Minmetals

On August 7, Shen Yanfeng, Party Secretary and Chairman of CNNC, led a delegation to China Minmetals Corporation to meet with Chen Dexin, Party Secretary and Chairman of China Minmetals, where both parties exchanged views on further strengthening strategic cooperation. Wang Jiezhi, Deputy Party Secretary and Director of China Minmetals, Wang Xingquan, Party Member and Vice President, Liu Jianping, Deputy Party Secretary and Director of CNNC, and Chen Junli, Party Member and Vice President, attended the meeting. Chen Dexin welcomed the visit of Shen Yanfeng and his delegation, and introduced the business segments of China Minmetals. He stated that since the signing of the strategic cooperation agreement between China Minmetals and CNNC, fruitful cooperation results have been achieved in multiple fields, including uranium resource development, overseas nuclear power construction, and scientific research project breakthroughs...

2026-08-08

Shanghai Electric Southwest Regional Headquarters Unveiled in Chengdu, Government-Enterprise-Research Collaboration Builds a New Hub for Green Energy

On August 6, the unveiling ceremony of the Southwest Regional Headquarters of Shanghai Electric Group was held in Chengdu. Jin Xiaolong, member of the Party Committee and Vice President of Shanghai Electric, attended the event and delivered a speech. More than 200 representatives from relevant government departments of Sichuan Province, Chengdu City and the Southwest region, the Shanghai Office in Tibet, key enterprises, research institutes, industry associations, as well as heads of relevant functional departments of Shanghai Electric headquarters and various industrial groups, participated in the event. The newly unveiled Southwest Regional Headquarters will be based in Chengdu, radiating to Sichuan, Chongqing, Yunnan, Guizhou and Tibet, positioned as a collaboration platform for the regional market, a service hub for industrial upgrading, and a connecting vehicle for ecosystem co-building, integrating Shanghai Electric's comprehensive advantages in energy equipment and green intelligent industry...

2026-08-08

China's First Homegrown Radiopharmaceutical Receives Dual FDA Breakthrough Therapy and Fast Track Designations

On August 6, Nuoyu Medical announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has officially granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) and Fast Track Designation (FTD) to the company's independently developed 68Ga-NYM096. This marks the first product in China's original radiopharmaceutical field to receive FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation, and the first to receive both FDA Breakthrough Therapy and Fast Track designations simultaneously, creating a milestone breakthrough in the radiopharmaceutical field. 68Ga-NYM096 is a small-molecule diagnostic radiopharmaceutical for renal cancer that specifically binds to CAIX, suitable for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of suspected or confirmed metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (c...

2026-08-08

StarRing Fusion Completes RMB 880 Million Series A++ Financing to Advance Fusion Device and Key Technology Engineering

StarRing Fusion recently announced the completion of a new Series A++ financing round, raising RMB 880 million. This round was jointly invested by Shenzhen Capital Group, Shendan Venture Capital, ABC Capital, BOCOM Investment, GGV Capital, Yongxin Ark, Keke Capital, Advantage Capital, and other institutions, with existing shareholder Shanghai Science and Technology Innovation Group's intellectual property fund and other institutions continuing to follow on. The company stated that the proceeds from this round, together with the previous Series A and A+ financing, will be used for the construction of the Shanghai Jiading experimental base, the construction and operation of the NTST negative-triangularity spherical tokamak, the design and construction of the CTRFR-1 "StarRing One," and the continued engineering advancement of key technologies including fusion-grade high-temperature superconducting magnets and AI-based plasma control...

2026-08-08

CNNC Fuzhi Officially Established, CNNC Isotope Holds 90% Stake to Integrate the Full Nuclear Medicine Industry Chain

On August 6, 2026, CNNC Fuzhi (Beijing) Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "CNNC Fuzhi") was officially established. The company was jointly funded by CNNC Isotope Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "CNNC Isotope") and CNNC (Zhejiang) Innovation Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "CNNC Zhejiang Innovation"), with CNNC Isotope holding 90% of the shares and CNNC Zhejiang Innovation holding 10%. CNNC Fuzhi will take over the business of CNNC Isotope's Nuclear Medicine Development Center, focusing on deep cultivation in the smart nuclear medicine sector. With the smart nuclear medicine IoT system as its core carrier, the company aims to integrate the entire nuclear medicine industry chain, build a synergistic development model of "smart nuclear medicine system + nuclear drugs + equipment + services," and drive the business transition from single product supply to full value chain integration...

2026-08-08

CFHI and CGN Hold Exchange Meeting to Jointly Tackle HPR1000 2.0 Demonstration Project

On August 6, China First Heavy Industries (CFHI) and China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) held an exchange meeting at CFHI's nuclear power and petrochemical equipment manufacturing base. Leaders from both sides, including Lu Zhiqiang, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of CFHI, and Pang Songtao, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and General Manager of CGN, attended the meeting. The two sides reviewed and summarized two decades of cooperation achievements, jointly mapped out a blueprint for coordinated development across the entire industrial chain, and presented flags to the joint Party member task force for the HPR1000 2.0 demonstration project. Zhang Wenping, Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Chief Accountant of CFHI, presided over the meeting. As two central state-owned enterprises serving the national energy power strategy, the two sides have built a solid collaboration system in multiple fields since undertaking the first domestically produced Hongyanhe million-kilowatt-class reactor pressure vessel in 2006, including nuclear island main equipment, special forgings, nuclear three-waste treatment equipment, and complete wind turbines, jointly breaking the overseas monopoly on large nuclear power forgings, supporting the localization breakthrough and batch commissioning of the HPR1000, and jointly consolidating the foundation for the safe development of China's nuclear power industry.

2026-08-08