Duckweed is an incredible, radiation-fighting astronaut food – and by changing how it is grown, we made it better

Duckweed is the perfect space food: small, fast-growing and nutritious. By studying how light levels changed the production of radiation-fighting antioxidants, researchers made it even better.

Barbara Demmig-Adams, Professor of Plant Ecology and Molecular Biology, University of Colorado Boulder • conversation
July 14, 2020 ~6 min

A restart of nuclear testing offers little scientific value to the US and would benefit other countries

Seventy-five years after the first nuclear detonation and nearly 30 years since testing was banned, the US is considering resuming live nuclear testing.

Miles A. Pomper, Senior Fellow, James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Middlebury • conversation
July 14, 2020 ~10 min


Cosmic rays may be behind life’s mirrored molecules

Radiation from space may have left a mark on early life, researchers say. It could explain chirality, or why molecules have left- and right-handed versions.

Taylor Kubota-Stanford • futurity
June 5, 2020 ~8 min

Radiation shield polymer may replace lead

A new polymer composite may offer a lighter, non-toxic radiation shielding to replace lead, researchers report.

Matt Shipman-NC State • futurity
May 12, 2020 ~4 min

Radiation detector can monitor X-rays in near-real time

A new material allows for better monitoring of X-ray radiation, researchers report. That could give a boost to medical imaging or even airport security.

Matt Shipman-NC State • futurity
May 6, 2020 ~3 min

Algorithm could sniff out smuggled nuclear material

A new algorithm could speed up detection of weapons-grade nuclear material at national borders to protect against nuclear terrorism, researchers report.

Nicole Casal Moore-Michigan • futurity
May 4, 2020 ~5 min

Four things you didn’t know about nuclear waste

In my ten years working with and researching it, I've encountered lots of myths.

Laura Leay, Nuclear Engineering Innovation Fellow, University of Manchester • conversation
May 1, 2020 ~5 min

Could light and sound rid heart imaging of scary radiation?

Researchers have shown light and sound could replace radiation to image the heart. They say the method has potential for other procedures as well.

Chanapa Tantibanchachai-Johns Hopkins • futurity
April 17, 2020 ~6 min


Bricks can become ‘cameras’ to locate nuclear material

A new method can turn bricks into 3D "cameras" to help find clues in the hunt for weapons-grade nuclear materials.

Matt Shipman-NC State • futurity
March 26, 2020 ~3 min

Drug-radiation combo may shut down colorectal cancer

Combining a drug that blocks one protein and radiation therapy could be an effective treatment for colorectal cancer, research with mice shows.

Jim Dryden-WUSTL • futurity
March 6, 2020 ~6 min

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