Science Made Simple: What Are Nuclear Fusion Reactions?
Nuclear Fusion reactions power the Sun and other stars. In a fusion reaction, two light nuclei merge to form a single heavier nucleus. The process releases energy because…
Nuclear
New Plutonium Breakthrough: Measuring the Previously “Unmeasurable” Helps Distinguish Nuclear Power Pollution From Global Fallout
Researchers looking at miniscule levels of plutonium pollution in our soils have made a breakthrough that could help inform future ‘clean up’ operations on land…
“Nuclear Niño” – Nuclear War Could Trigger Big El Niño and Decrease Seafood
Unprecedented warming in equatorial Pacific Ocean could last up to seven years. A nuclear war could trigger an unprecedented El Niño-like warming episode in the…
Cracking the Secrets of an Emerging Branch of Physics: Exotic Properties to Power Real-World Applications
In a new realm of materials, PhD student Thanh Nguyen uses neutrons to hunt for exotic properties that could power real-world applications. Thanh Nguyen is…
Novel Nuclear Reactor Designs: Commercializing Next-Generation Energy Technology
Oklo’s team is using a startup mindset to build novel reactors while meeting federal regulations. All of the nuclear power plants operating in the U.S….
Professor’s Milestone in Nuclear Physics Seeks to Understand the Universe Itself
Early research on atomic nuclei yielded a wave of discoveries. A nuclear physics professor from Florida International University was among a team of researchers that…
Explosive Nuclear Astrophysics: New Method Developed to Determine Origin of Stardust in Meteorites
International team develops a new method to determine the origin of stardust in meteorites. Analysis of meteorite content has been crucial in advancing our knowledge…
MIT Explores New Ways to Make Nuclear Energy Cost-Competitive
Three MIT teams to explore novel ways to reduce operations and maintenance costs of advanced nuclear reactors. MIT teams in the GEMINA program will provide…
Transformational Challenge Nuclear Reactor: Microreactor Built Using 3D Printing
Scientists at the Department of Energy Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have their eyes on the prize: the Transformational Challenge Reactor, or…
Physics of Blobs: Surprise Link Found to Edge Turbulence in Plasma Fusion Reactors
Blobs can wreak havoc in plasma required for fusion reactions. This bubble-like turbulence swells up at the edge of fusion plasmas and drains heat from…
3D-Printed Nuclear Reactor Core Promises Faster, More Economical Energy
Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory are refining their design of a 3D-printed nuclear reactor core, scaling up the additive manufacturing…
Legacy of Cold War Nuclear Bomb Tests Solves Whale Shark Mystery
The radioactive legacy of the arms race reveals true age of the world’s largest fish. Atomic bomb tests conducted during the Cold War have helped…
Argonne and CERN Explore Long-Held Mystery in Nuclear Physics
Weighing In on the Origin of Heavy Elements A long-held mystery in the field of nuclear physics is why the universe is composed of the…
New Protection for US Energy Grid and Nuclear Weapons Systems
To deter attempts to disable U.S. electrical utilities and to defend U.S. nuclear weapon systems from evolving technological threats, Sandia National Laboratories has begun two…
Global Famine Predicted in Even a Limited India-Pakistan Nuclear War Due to Soot and Firestorms
Soot from firestorms would reduce crop production for years. The concept of nuclear winter — a years-long planetary freeze brought on by airborne soot generated…
Advanced Reactor Technologies to Accelerate the Next Generation of Nuclear Power
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Tennessee Valley Authority have signed a memorandum of understanding to evaluate a new generation…
Traces of New Form of Superfluidity Revealed by Exotic Atomic Nuclei
Recent observations of the internal structure of the rare isotope ruthenium-88 shed new light on the internal structure of atomic nuclei, a breakthrough which could…
Activating Relativistic Effects of Intense Laser Light in Plasma for Nuclear Fusion
Utilizing relativistic effects of intense laser light in plasma, researchers at Osaka University test a new method for achieving consistent nuclear fusion, which may lead…