Quantum physics could protect the grid from hackers—maybe
Photo from Wired.Cybersecurity experts have sounded the alarm for years: Hackers are ogling the U.S. power grid. The threat isn’t merely hypothetical—a group affiliated with the Russian government gained remote access to energy companies’ computers, the Department of Homeland Security published last March.
One challenge is simply the reality of working on the grid itself. “You can’t just shut the power off,” says physicist Tom Venhaus of Los Alamos National Laboratory, who collaborated on the project. “It’s like working on a car with its engine running.” (Full Story)
Chemists explore the periodic table’s actinide frontier
Curium(III) ions (shown in tube) could help to decontaminate people exposed this radioactive actinide. From C&EN.Stosh A. Kozimor at Los Alamos National Laboratory says that one of the field’s most important research themes is the use of actinide radiopharmaceuticals to treat cancer and other diseases. Known as targeted α therapy, it involves coupling an actinide to a targeting agent—such as an antibody or a protein—that locks onto specific cells in the body and kills them with the α particles emitted by the isotopes. α Particles consist of two neutrons and two protons bound together.
Actinium-225 is particularly well suited to the job. Its α particles travel for only 100 µm or less in the body, minimizing off-target effects. (Full Story)
Space nuclear power — seriously
Engineers install hardware on the Kilopower assembly at the Nevada National Security Site. NNSS photo.NASA and its partners — the DOE, NNSA, the Los Alamos National Lab, the Y-12 National Security Complex and the Nevada National Security Site — ran a 2018 test called KRUSTY, for Kilopower Reactor Using Stirling Technology. KRUSTY aimed to show the Kilopower system could generate fission electricity and remain stable and safe under space-relevant environmental conditions.
At the Nevada test site, the Kilopower reactor generated a controlled chain reaction, generating from 1 to 10 kW of thermal power while exposed to realistic operating temperatures in a vacuum. (Full Story)
New alloy shows extreme strength against radiation
Osman El Atwani (left) and Enrique Martinez at the transmission electron microscope. LANL photo.When it comes to materials, one very important characteristic to look for is the strength. The stronger the material is, the more applications it can be used in (keeping in mind other characteristics).
Just recently, scientists at the Los Alamos National Laboratory have developed a new tungsten-based alloy that has high strength. This alloy has showed its ability to withstand radiation without being damaged. This is important to be used in areas and environments where radiation exists such as magnetic fusion reactors; where it gets too dangerous for humans to react. These locations force a vast loss in materials which needs a high cost for constant replacement. (Full Story)
Also from The Engineer Magazine
Los Alamos National Laboratory upgrades D-Wave quantum computer
D-Wave 2000Q, D-Wave photo.D-Wave Systems Inc., the leader in quantum computing systems, software, and services, announced that Los Alamos National Laboratory has upgraded their D-Wave quantum computer to the D-Wave 2000Q system. Los Alamos is investing in D-Wave quantum technology to expand its foundational quantum computing research, enabling exploration of new and diverse quantum computing applications.
To date, Los Alamos and its research collaborators have built over 60 early quantum applications and conducted essential research in domains ranging from quantum mechanics, linear algebra, computer science, and machine learning, to earth science, biochemistry, sociology, and more. (Full Story)
Also from Inside HPC and HPCwire
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