The Sun, the essential engine that sustains life on Earth, generates its tremendous energy through the process of nuclear fusion. At the same time it releases a continuous stream of neutrinos— particles that serve as messengers of its internal dynamics. Although modern neutrino detectors unveil the Sun’s present behavior, significant questions linger about its stability over periods of millions of years—a timeframe that spans ...

Three young researchers have be honored with the Christoph Schmelzer Prize this year: Dr Katrin Beatrix Schnürle from the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and Dr Yuri Simeonov from the Philipps University of Marburg receive the award in recognition of their dissertations, Annika Schlechter from the University of Heidelberg for her Master's thesis. The prize is awarded annually by the Association for the Promotion of Tumor Therapy with Heavy Ions in recognition of outstanding master's and…

The renowned Swedish experimental physicist Professor Thomas Nilsson took up the position of the Scientific Managing Director at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH and the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research in Europe (FAIR) GmbH on December 1, 2024. With his comprehensive experience and internationally recognized expertise, Professor Thomas Nilsson will play a leading role in shaping the scientific development of the research facility and the international accelerator…

Have you ever wondered how long it took our Sun to form in its stellar nursery? An international collaboration of scientists is now closer to an answer. They succeeded in the measurement of the bound-state beta decay of fully-ionised thallium ions at the Experimental Storage Ring (ESR) of GSI/FAIR. This measurement has profound effects on the production of radioactive lead in asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars and can be used to help determine the Sun’s formation time. The results ...

Where does the periodic table of chemical elements end and which processes lead to the existence of heavy elements? An international research team reports on experiments performed at the GSI/FAIR accelerator facility and at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz to come closer to an answer. They gained insight into the structure of atomic nuclei of fermium (element 100) with different numbers of neutrons. Using forefront laser spectroscopy techniques, they traced the evolution of the nuclear charge…

An international team led by scientists of GSI/FAIR in Darmstadt, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and the Helmholtz Institute Mainz, succeeded in determining the chemical properties of the artificially produced superheavy elements moscovium and nihonium (elements 115 and 113). Moscovium thus becomes the heaviest element ever chemically studied. Both of the newly characterized elements are more chemically reactive than flerovium (element 114), which was previously studied at GSI/FAIR. The…

With funding of four million euros as part of the ‘EU MSCA Doctoral Networks’, and additional funding of 600 000 euros through the Swiss State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation SERI, the European research project ‘UPLIFT’ was recently launched, aiming to expand the perspectives of tumor therapy with an innovative approach. The project is led by GSI scientists Professor Christian Graeff and Dr. Lennart Volz. It brings together 15 leading ...

Dr. Zewei Xiong has received a prestigious ERC Starting Grant from the European Research Council (ERC). The funding is one of Europe's most important research awards, aimed at talented young scientists at an early career stage to show their potential as a research leader. Dr. Zewei Xiong is currently working as a postdoctoral researcher in the Nuclear Astrophysics and Structure Department at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung.

The lecture series „Wissenschaft für Alle“ of GSI and FAIR will be continued as a hybrid format in the second half of 2024. Interested parties can either attend the event in the lecture hall of GSI/FAIR following a registration or dial into the broadcast of the event via video conference using an internet-enabled device such as a laptop, cell phone or tablet. The program will begin on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, with a talk about the evolution of the Universe by Professor Karlheinz Langanke of…