Seventy-Five Years After Trinity

Inside Science  July 15, 2020 The Manhattan Project’s massive effort to build the first atomic bomb led to the Trinity test on July 16, 1945. The project had consumed huge amounts of resources in building weapons of unprecedented potency, gave godlike power to flawed humans. It also inspired innovations and actions that continue to cascade through science and culture in ways both predictable and surprising. The stories, videos and graphics collected here commemorate the 75th anniversary of Trinity and present a snapshot of how deeply the influence of the Manhattan Project has permeated science and culture. While we cannot possibly […]

How Russia, China Use Nuclear Reactors To Win Global Influence

Defense One  July 13, 2018 Russia and China are using nuclear power projects to build spheres of energy dependence, and the United States is unprepared to respond. Russia bids for such projects through its state-owned nuclear company, Rosatom, under a model that finances construction of nuclear plants, furnishes the trained personnel to run them, and leases them back to the client country. This has allowed Russia to secure 60 percent of the recent global nuclear reactor sales. China has identified 41 countries along the Belt and Road as potential sites for nuclear power projects. China also aims to establish long-term […]

For nuclear weapons reduction, a way to verify without revealing

Science Daily  April 19, 2018 Researchers at MIT present a concept that leverages isotope-specific nuclear resonance phenomena to authenticate a warhead’s fissile components by comparing them to a previously authenticated template. All information is encrypted in the physical domain in a manner that amounts to a physical zero-knowledge proof system. Using Monte Carlo simulations, the system is shown to reveal no isotopic or geometric information about the weapon, while readily detecting hoaxing attempts. The method is a physical analog of data encryption. The team has verified the neutron concept through extensive simulations and now hopes to prove that it works […]