TAIGA is expanding: The first full-scale muon detector is ready for waterproofing

The TAIGA astrophysical complex is preparing to commission its first full-scale muon detector: its pool has already been covered with a lid and is ready for waterproofing. The new facility will allow detecting muons from extensive air showers and separating gamma-ray quanta from the charged cosmic ray background in the 1–10 PeV range.

Congratulations to Mikhail Zarubin on successful defence of the candidate dissertation!

On Thursday, 22 October 2026, Mikhail Zarubin successfully defended his dissertation at Lomonosov State University. The topic of his work was “Radioprotective properties and structural features of the Dsup protein from the tardigrade Ramazzottius varieornatus”. Mikhail Zarubin defended his dissertation for the degree of candidate of scientists (biology) in specialty 1.5.2, Biophysics.

Congratulations to Elena Kurakina on successful defence of the candidate dissertation!

Last week, on 15 October 2026, Elena Kurakina, engineer of the DLNP Department of Nuclear Spectroscopy and Radiochemistry, successfully defended her dissertation at the Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology. The topic of her work was “Radiation and chemical aspects of the stability of trivalent metal-based radiopharmaceutical precursors”.

The second joint workshop of the DANSS and νGeN collaborations was held

The second joint workshop of the DANSS and νGeN collaborations was held at the DLNP Department of the Nuclear Spectroscopy and Radiochemistry on 1 October 2026. The representatives from JINR, The Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Kurchatov Institute, and the Institute for Nuclear Research of the RAS took part in the meeting. The main topics of the discussion were the current status of the data analysis, improvements to the experimental facilities, and upcoming work plans.

ARIADNA сollaboration held meeting on applied research at NICA complex

The ARIADNA collaboration held a meeting at JINR from 30 September to 2 October 2026. The meeting was devoted to applied research at NICA complex and brought together researchers, engineers, and users of the NICA accelerator complex in order to exchange scientific results, discuss future experimental opportunities and shape the next phase of applied research at NICA.

Francis Halzen wins 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Nobel Prize in Physics 2026 to Francis Halzen (University of Wisconsin–Madison, USA) “for decisive contributions to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the discovery of high-energy neutrinos of astrophysical origin.”

Upgrades to the fifth telescope of the TAIGA Gamma Observatory

In the summer of 2026, ten mirrors were installed on the fifth Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescope of the TAIGA gamma-ray observatory. At this stage, the upgraded fifth telescope is being prepared for commissioning and subsequent data collection, which involves testing the mechanical components and identifying potential defects.

Winners of 2025 Dzhelepov Prize announced

By the decision of the JINR Scientific Council, the 2025 Dzhelepov Prize was awarded to Boris Nikolaevich Gikal, JINR chief engineer, and Maksim Vladimirovich Zdorovets, director of the Science and Innovation Department of the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Atomic Energy, Academician of the Kazakhstan Academy of Sciences.

Congratulations to the staff members of the Laboratory of Nuclear Problems on obtaining a patent!

The JINR Department of Innovation and Intellectual Property reports that the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research got the patent for the invention “Multichannel source of ultrashort pulsed laser radiation” on 22 September 2026.

Scientists from the Laboratory of Nuclear Problems took part in the anniversary Saratov Fall Meeting

Scientists from the Laboratory of Nuclear Problems have participated in the anniversary Saratov Fall Meeting that has been taking place in Saratov on 21–25 September. The 30th anniversary conference is devoted to the latest advances in the field of optics, laser physics and biophotonics.

Multivariate amplitude analysis of the cascade particle decays based on the Nearest Neighbors fitting

The eighth issue of the international online scientific journal Natural Science Review (2026) features an article by I. V. Eletskikh and A. O. Vasyukov, staff members of the Laboratory of Nuclear Problems, titled "Multivariate amplitude analysis of the cascade particle decays based on the Nearest Neighbors fitting".