Chinese Scientists Have Successfully Synthesized A New Nuclide Protactinium-210, Breaking The World Record

2026-05-18

Chinese scientists have successfully synthesized "protactinium-210" for the first time, which is the most "neutron deficient" protactinium isotope discovered by humans so far. This breakthrough has refreshed the understanding of the limits of the existence of atomic nuclei and provided new clues for exploring the origins of elements in the universe. The experiment was conducted on advanced equipment independently developed by China, demonstrating the country's strong capabilities in heavy and overweight nuclear research, and laying a solid foundation for the future synthesis of new elements. In June 2025 (Beijing time), the Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences reported that its overweight nuclear research team and its collaborators had successfully synthesized a new nuclide, protactinium-210. This discovery not only fills the gap in the nuclear isotope map, but also marks another milestone achievement in China's cutting-edge research in nuclear physics. The relevant research results have been published in the top international academic journal Nature Communications. 1. Challenge the limits: Annotate new coordinates in the "nuclear universe" The atomic nucleus is composed of protons and neutrons, like a miniature universe. T...

The Revolutionary Dawn Of Cancer Treatment: The Precise Strike Of Terbium-161 And The Foundation Of Gadolinium-160

2026-05-18

In the protracted war between humanity and cancer, the concept of precision medicine is leading a profound transformation. Scientists are no longer satisfied with the traditional therapy of "killing one thousand enemies and self harming eight hundred", but are committed to developing "smart bombs" that can accurately identify and destroy cancer cells while maximizing the protection of healthy tissues. In this cutting-edge field, the radioactive isotope terbium-161 (¹⁶¹ Tb) is rising to become a highly anticipated "medical nuclear warhead" due to its unique physical properties and therapeutic potential. And its birth cannot be separated from its stable and crucial 'parent' - gadolinium-160 (¹⁶⁰ Gd). 1. Gadolinium-160: Transformation from stable element to key precursor Gadolinium (Gd), the 64th element in the periodic table, belongs to rare earth metals. In daily life, we may feel unfamiliar with it, but in the field of medical imaging, its compounds have long been an indispensable contrast agent component in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), helping doctors gain clear insights into the internal structure of the human body. However, the specific isotope of gadolinium, gadolinium-160, has a more special mission. Gadolinium-160 itself is a relat...

Excavator Heading To The Moon! Lunar Helium-3 Mining Competition Begins

2026-05-12

A full-size prototype of a lunar excavator developed in collaboration between Interlune and Vermeer. Image source: Interlune Interlene, a space resource startup, recently announced that its first lunar helium-3 excavator prototype is ready and has received its first customer orders. The excavator was jointly built by Interlune and industrial equipment manufacturer Vermeer, aiming to extract valuable helium-3 resources on the moon. This move not only opens up prospects for lunar industrial development, but also has the potential to fundamentally change the way energy is produced on Earth and promote the development of emerging technologies. 1.Helium-3: Treasures on the Moon, the Future of Earth Helium-3 is an extremely rare isotope on Earth, but on the Moon, its reserves are estimated to be as high as millions of tons. For billions of years, the solar wind has' fixed 'this isotope in the lunar regolith. Interlune CEO Rob Meyerson pointed out that helium-3 is one of the most expensive resources on Earth, with a price tag of approximately $20 million per kilogram. Its high price is due to the scarcity of land supply and the growing demand. Helium-3 on Earth is a byproduct of nuclear energy and its supply is extremely limited. The US Department of Energy (DOE) has limited its supply...

Scientists Create Extremely Rare Hydrogen-6 Isotope, Challenging Nuclear Physics

2026-05-12

Researchers have successfully prepared a highly neutron rich isotope, hydrogen-6, using a novel electron scattering technique from Mainz Microtron. This groundbreaking experiment reveals the astonishingly low ground state energy of hydrogen-6, challenging current models of nuclear neutron interactions For the first time, electron scattering experiments were used to generate and measure the highly neutron rich hydrogen isotope 6H, revealing unexpected strong interactions between neutrons within atomic nuclei. Researchers from the A1 collaboration group of the Institute of Nuclear Physics at Johannes Gutenberg University (JGU) in Mainz, in collaboration with scientists from China and Japan, have successfully prepared hydrogen-6, one of the isotopes with the highest neutron content, for the first time using electron scattering. The experiment was conducted on the spectrometer device of the Mainz Microcelerator (MAMI), providing a new method for studying light, neutron rich atomic nuclei. These findings provide new insights and pose significant challenges to existing models of multi nuclear interactions. The completion of this measurement is attributed to the excellent quality of MAMI electron beams and the unique combination of three high-resolution spectrometers from the A1 collaborative...

Carbon-13 Carbon Monoxide (¹³ CO): A Scientific Probe For Isotope Tracing And Interdisciplinary Applications

2026-05-12

Carbon monoxide (¹³ CO) is a carbon monoxide molecule composed of the stable isotope carbon-13, and its unique isotopic labeling properties make it an irreplaceable tracer tool in scientific research and industrial applications. Compared to ordinary carbon monoxide, ¹ CO not only retains similar chemical properties (such as reducibility and flammability), but also exhibits significant advantages in fields such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) due to the nuclear spin properties of carbon-13. This article will explore its chemical properties, interdisciplinary applications, and future potential. 1. Chemical characteristics and isotopic effects The physical properties of ¹³ CO are similar to ordinary carbon monoxide. It is a colorless and odorless gas at room temperature, but its molecular weight is slightly higher (29.02 g/mol) and its density is 1.25 g/mL (25 ℃). Its core value lies in isotope effects: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Enhancement: Carbon-13 has a nuclear spin quantum number of 1/2, and compared to carbon-12's spineless properties, ¹³ CO can generate stronger signals in NMR, making it a key tool for studying organic molecular structures and catalytic reaction mechanisms. Tracer sensitivity: The low natural abundance of carbon-13 (about 1...