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Oak Ridge National Laboratory marks 80 years of isotope research and production, with applications spanning medicine, industry, and scientific research

On August 2, 1946, the Clinton Laboratories in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, held the first formal ceremony to deliver reactor-produced radioactive isotopes. A shipment of carbon-14 was sent from there to the Barnard Free Skin and Cancer Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. Over the past 80 years, this event has been regarded as the starting point of Oak Ridge National Laboratory's isotope research and production endeavors, and also marked the beginning of broader civilian applications for reactor-produced radioactive isotopes. After World War II, the U.S. scientific community began exploring peaceful uses of atomic energy, with radioactive isotopes becoming an important direction. As unstable variants of elements, radioactive isotopes release radiation during decay and can be used...

2026-08-15

The Energy Research Institute of Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center Achieves a Series of New Progress in Safety Assessment of Activated Corrosion Products under Magnetic Field Environments in Fusion Reactors

Recently, the Radiation Protection and Safety Research Center of the Energy Research Institute of Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center has made a series of significant progress in the field of safety assessment of activated corrosion products under magnetic field environments in fusion reactors. The research team conducted systematic studies on the corrosion behavior of China's low-activation ferritic/martensitic steel CLF-1 in magnetic field environments, from three dimensions: water corrosion characteristics, migration patterns of corrosion products, and the influence of surface roughness. The relevant results have been published as three papers in the journal *Nuclear Materials and Energy*, which is ranked in Zone 1 of the emerging journal classification table. This series of research outcomes provides key scientific evidence for the radiological safety assessment of cooling water systems in fusion reactors...

2026-08-15

CGN Research Institute Launches "Hehui" I&C Production Line Construction to Advance Domestic Autonomy of High-End Nuclear Power Equipment

Recently, CGN Research Institute held the kickoff meeting for the Hehui I&C production line construction project in Shenzhen, marking new progress in infrastructure and capacity building for the Hehui brand. The project will serve the domestic autonomy of high-end nuclear power equipment, provide support for ensuring the construction progress of nuclear power projects and meeting the safe operation needs of operating units, and help enhance the resilience and competitiveness of China's nuclear power industry chain. The meeting clarified the overall project planning, construction objectives, key milestones, and responsibilities of all parties, established the project management system, and deployed near-term key tasks. The meeting required all parties involved in the construction to increase resource investment, strengthen safety and quality management, strictly enforce technical review, uphold integrity standards, and ensure the production line is commissioned on schedule with high quality...

2026-08-15

Kazakhstan Enters a New Era of Atomic Energy, with the Institute of Nuclear Physics Viewed as a Key Pillar of the National Nuclear Industry

Kazakhstan is entering a new stage of nuclear energy development. The construction of a nuclear power plant means not only the addition of a major energy project, but also the need for the country to simultaneously establish a complete nuclear industry system, including research support, personnel training, experimental infrastructure, nuclear and radiation safety systems, and indigenous technological capabilities. The article points out that a nuclear power plant can be built using foreign project designs, but true scientific and technological capability cannot be purchased along with the equipment; it is gradually formed through the long-term operation of nuclear facilities, conducting research, training engineering teams, and passing on experience. Against this backdrop, the Institute of Nuclear Physics of Kazakhstan is regarded as an important pillar of the future nuclear energy industry. The institution...

2026-08-14

Russian Researchers Find Low-Energy Electron Beam and X-Ray Treatment of Wheat Seeds Can Increase Yields

Researchers from the D.V. Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear Physics at Lomonosov Moscow State University, in collaboration with the Faculty of Physics and the Faculty of Chemistry of Lomonosov Moscow State University, as well as the Siberian Federal Scientific Centre of Agro-BioTechnologies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, have found that pre-sowing treatment of wheat seeds with low-energy electron beams and X-rays can help increase crop yields and enhance plant resistance to diseases. The study focused on the wheat variety Novosibirskaya 29 and included laboratory experiments, two consecutive years of field trials, and computer modeling. The results showed that a dose range of 5 to 15 Gy is suitable as a pre-sowing irradiation treatment parameter for wheat seeds. According to Moscow State University...

2026-08-14

Radioactivity Levels in Arctic Archipelagos Within Background Range, Russian Research Team Reports No Anomalies

On August 13, Andrei Puchkov, senior researcher at the Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory of the N.P. Laverov Federal Arctic Integrated Research Center, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, stated that measurements taken during the 2026 Arctic Floating University expedition's landings on Novaya Zemlya and Franz Josef Land showed very low radioactivity levels, with no anomalies detected. Puchkov noted that the expedition measured radon concentrations at all landing sites, with radon flux densities ranging from below 1 millibecquerel per square meter per second to 200 millibecquerels per square meter per second, all recorded values remaining within background levels. He indicated that permafrost acts as a barrier and shield in the region, preventing radioactive gases from reaching the surface; relatively higher radon fluxes in some areas may be associated with geological features such as fault zones and fracture zones.

2026-08-14

Russia's SKIF Synchrotron Radiation Facility Hailed as a Milestone for Russian Science

On August 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Koltsovo Science City in Novosibirsk to learn about the operating principles of the Siberian Circular Photon Source (SKIF), a shared-use center. This center is the first facility in a network of modern synchrotron radiation sources being built in Russia, with construction efforts incorporated into the national development program for synchrotron and neutron research and related research infrastructure, covering the period through 2030 and beyond. It was reported that SKIF, with its high-brightness, high-intensity X-ray beams, can serve high-level research in fields such as chemistry, physics, materials science, biology, geology, archaeology, and paleontology. Officials also noted that...

2026-08-14

Spanish ENRESA visits CIEMAT to advance safety research on radioactive waste covers

Technical staff from the Spanish National Radioactive Waste Company (ENRESA) recently visited facilities of the Environmental Department at the Spanish Research Centre for Energy, Environment and Technology (CIEMAT) to review the progress of joint research projects in the field of radioactive waste safety management. The visit focused on two projects, VEBIOCA and CARCOB, whose research supports the optimization of the safety cover system and long-term environmental protection at the El Cabril waste storage facility in the province of Córdoba. During the visit, ENRESA technical staff first toured CIEMAT's Soil Conservation and Remediation Department. The research team presented the progress of the VEBIOCA project, which primarily analyzes the influence of vegetation on the behavior of the bio-intrusion layer within the pilot vegetation cover at the El Cabril waste storage facility. Researchers are conducting plant species identification and assessment at two locations, Madrid and Córdoba, with particular focus on the growth characteristics of different plants at the site and in the surrounding environment, as well as their interactions with the vegetation cover system. The results will provide a basis for ENRESA's selection of plant species in subsequent pilot trials.

2026-08-13

Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in India develops 72 improved crop varieties through radiation mutation technology

The integration of nuclear technology with agricultural production is demonstrating increasingly tangible value in Indian farmlands. Through radiation-induced mutation and hybrid breeding techniques, the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in India has successively developed 72 improved crop varieties, covering peanuts, rice, mung beans, mustard, and other crops. India's Minister of State Jitendra Singh disclosed this progress in a written reply to Parliament, showing that the peaceful application of nuclear science has extended from laboratories to the frontlines of agricultural production. In terms of variety composition, peanut new varieties are the most numerous, reaching 17; rice has 10, mung beans and mustard 9 each, black gram 8, pigeon pea 5, sorghum 3, and cowpea, wheat, and soybean 2 each. Additionally...

2026-08-13

American Society for Radiation Oncology Foundation to Award $2.4 Million in Grants to 14 Researchers

The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Foundation will award a total of $2.4 million in research grants to 14 scientists dedicated to advancing patient care in radiation medicine. ASTRO stated that the 2026 awards are the first annual grants issued since the society renamed its foundation to LightSpeed—ASTRO Foundation earlier this year. The rebranded foundation will focus on accelerating relevant research and strengthening workforce development in the field of radiation oncology. This round of funding is co-sponsored by the American Cancer Society, the American Association of Physicists in Medicine, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the LUNGevity Foundation, and the Prostate Cancer Foundation. ASTRO CEO Vive...

2026-08-13

U.S. Company Proposes Americium-241 Radioisotope Heating Solution for Spacesuits, Receives Early NASA Research Support

U.S.-based Zeno Power Systems has proposed a radioisotope heating concept for lunar extravehicular activities, planning to use Americium-241 (Am-241) to provide continuous passive warmth for astronauts during lunar nights and in permanently shadowed regions. The proposal has been selected for this year's NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program, with the potential to receive up to $175,000 in early-stage research funding. The lunar surface environment is one of the key challenges for long-duration crewed missions. Data shows that lunar nights can last approximately two weeks, and extreme low temperatures will limit the duration of astronaut extravehicular activities in shadowed areas and at night. Even with new-generation spacesuits, their cold resistance remains limited...

2026-08-13

25 experimental stations of the PIK high-flux nuclear reactor at the Kurchatov Institute to be commissioned in December 2026

At a meeting of the Science and Education Committee, Mikhail Kovalchuk, Director of the National Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute," announced that 25 experimental stations of the PIK high-flux nuclear reactor at the Konstantinov Nuclear Physics Institute in Gatchina, Leningrad Oblast, Russia, will be commissioned in December 2026. According to reports, the project is being implemented pursuant to a presidential decree. Currently, construction of these 25 experimental stations is nearing completion, and the associated waveguide hall is planned to open in December of the same year. As a large-scale research facility, the PIK reactor will provide experimental conditions for related nuclear physics research once its experimental stations are commissioned...

2026-08-13

IAEA Expert Team Acknowledges Safety Progress of Philippine Research Reactor

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) conducted a follow-up Integrated Safety Assessment of Research Reactors (INSARR) mission to the Philippine Research Reactor-1 (PRR-1) Subcritical Assembly for Training, Education and Research (SATER) facility in Quezon City, approximately 10 kilometers northeast of Manila, Philippines, from August 10 to 12, 2026. The review was conducted at the request of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) to examine the implementation status of safety recommendations made during the initial INSARR mission in 2023. The mission team consisted of two experts from Romania and the United States, along with one IAEA official. During the visit, they conducted an on-site inspection of the assembly facility, reviewed relevant documents, and engaged with the facility's management, operations, and technical staff...

2026-08-13

Kazakhstan's National Nuclear Center Advances Material Testing Research for Future Reactors

On August 11, the National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan presented its progress in research on structural materials for advanced reactors. Yerzhan Ernatuly Sapataev, head of the Radiation Materials Science Laboratory at the center's Institute of Atomic Energy, stated that the development of next-generation reactors and fusion technologies has imposed higher requirements on structural materials in terms of high-temperature resistance, radiation tolerance, and corrosion resistance, and that material reliability will directly determine the safety and service life of future nuclear energy systems. Materials inside future reactors typically need to...

2026-08-12

University of Missouri Receives $1 Million Grant to Research New FLASH Radiotherapy System

On August 11, researchers at the University of Missouri School of Medicine received a $1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study a new technology in cancer radiotherapy—the TheryQ FLASHKNiFE system. The project is funded through June 2027. A long-standing challenge in cancer treatment is how to kill tumor cells while protecting surrounding healthy tissue as much as possible. Existing radiotherapy can already achieve millimeter-level precision, but radiation damage and related side effects still limit the dose patients can safely receive. Unlike conventional approaches, FLASH radiotherapy does not primarily alter the direction of radiation beams, but instead delivers irradiation in an extremely short time at an ultra-high dose rate...

2026-08-12