- Статьи
- Science and technology
- Good breakthroughs: Challenge for safe explosives and compact neutron source
Good breakthroughs: Challenge for safe explosives and compact neutron source
Moscow announced the winners of the Challenge Award, which recognizes high-tech developments that can change people's lives in the next decade. This year the contest received 594 applications, and an international category was added to the list of nominations. The Scientific Committee honored works in the field of high-energy materials, compact neutron source, efficient batteries, functional MRI and optical tissue illumination. The winner in each nomination will receive 11 million rubles.
Who became the winner of the "Challenge" award
On December 9, the Tretyakov Gallery hosted a press conference of the national award in the field of future technologies "Challenge", during which the organizers named its laureates for 2024. The award is given for the most breakthrough knowledge-intensive developments that can significantly change people's lives and can be put into practice within the next 10 years. Each winner receives a cash award of 11 million rubles. This time the competition received 594 applications from more than 50 regions of Russia. Also, this year the prize has introduced an international nomination Discovery, for which scientists from 33 countries applied.
- This year we decided to depart from the canons of last year's ceremony and announce the winners today, 10 days before the awarding. There is now a great demand in the world for an unbiased, independent and politically unbiased award. We want to take our award to the next level. We have introduced an international Discovery category, which can be awarded to scientists from any country in the world. The decision is made regardless of the political views and country of residence of the researcher. Out of 594 entries, 112 were international, from 33 countries. These are India, China, the USA, France, Germany and dozens of other countries, which shows the confidence in the Challenge," said Leonid Shlyakhover, President of the Foundation for the Development of Scientific and Cultural Relations "Challenge".
The winners of the "Challenge" in each of the five categories were announced by the chairman of the scientific committee of the award, Skoltech professor Artem Oganov. In the "Perspective" nomination, the winner was Leonid Fershtat, Head of the Laboratory of Nitrogen-Containing Compounds at the Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The award was given to him "for advanced research in the field of creating organic functional materials for multi-purpose on the basis of high-nitrogen molecular architectures". As Artem Oganov explained, we are talking about high-energy compounds such as, for example, gunpowder. They combine high energy intensity with low sensitivity and can be used in aerospace, mining and many other fields, as well as in medicine.
Skoltech Professor Artem Oganov
In the category "Engineering Solution" for the development of a compact accelerating neutron source suitable for a wide range of research, including neutron capture therapy, the prize went to Sergey Taskaev, Head of the Laboratory of Boron Neutron Capture Therapy at Novosibirsk State University.
- He created something that was considered impossible for many years. A compact high-intensity source of neutrons. Previously, they were produced by nuclear reactors. The scientist was able to solve many scientific problems to make a compact device that can be placed in an ordinary room. It can be used to adjust the parameters of the neutron beam, obtaining the desired characteristics. This will find application in scientific experiments, collider construction and treatment of malignant tumors," said Artem Oganov.
Teaching to dream
In the "Breakthrough" nomination, the prize was awarded to Evgeny Antipov, Head of the Department of Electrochemistry at the Faculty of Chemistry of Lomonosov Moscow State University, and Artem Abakumov, Director of the Center for Energy Technologies at the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology. They were recognized for creating the fundamental and practical basis for the development and production of electrode materials for new-generation metal-ion batteries. The batteries created by the scientists are already being produced in small quantities at Skoltech, and it is quite possible that their production will soon be expanded.
Evgeny Antipov, Head of the Department of Electrochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University
In the Discovery nomination, the prize was awarded to Nikos Logothetis, Director of the International Primate Brain Research Center, with the wording "for his fundamental contribution to the creation of the method of functional magnetic resonance imaging and its introduction into everyday scientific and clinical practice for the study of human brain activity". The method proposed by the Greek-born researcher allows non-invasive study of how the brains of animals and humans work. This is very important for both basic science and medicine because it sheds light on the causes of mental disorders.
"Scientist of the Year" by the decision of the organizers of the award for outstanding contribution to the field of life sciences and biophotonics was recognized Valery Tuchin, head of the laboratory of laser diagnostics of technical and living systems IPTMU RAS. As Artem Oganov explained, the researcher became one of the founders of a new science - biophotonics. This direction studies the interaction of living tissues with light radiation. Its principles are used in the method of optical luminescence of tissues, which is used for diagnostics and study of various organs.
Speaking about the significance of the award, Andrei Timonov, head of the Communications Department of Rosatom, which is a partner of the prize, emphasized that one of the main tasks of the Challenge is to teach people to dream again.
- As sociological surveys have shown, only 15% of respondents in our country dream of something big. And they are considered empty dreamers. But in fact we have something to dream about and in the next 10 years we can witness breakthrough discoveries that claim to significantly change the paradigm of each person's existence. These are quantum computers, thermonuclear fusion, and other directions. But this requires scientists, and for them to appear, young people need role models in this field, - said Andrei Timonov.
The awarding ceremony will be held on December 19 at the Manezh Central Exhibition Hall.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
