Category: Наука

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Source: Novosibirsk State University –

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Scientists from the Laboratory of Nuclear and Innovative Medicine performed a CT scan of the skull of a woman buried about 2,500 years ago. Faculty of Physics Novosibirsk State University. Analysis of the data obtained from the study revealed that she had suffered a serious head injury during her lifetime, resulting in the destruction of her right temporomandibular joint. She underwent major surgery to restore the function of her lower jaw, which restored her ability to speak and eat. Scientists had not previously encountered such findings or found any references to such surgeries in the scientific literature.

"The use of X-ray computed tomography (CT) has become a key tool in studying the skull of a woman from the Pazyryk burial (approximately 2,500 years ago). Thanks to this technology, we were able to overcome a major obstacle—the mummified soft tissues that obscured the bone structure. The CT scanner allowed us to virtually 'remove' these coverings and create an accurate digital and then physical 3D model of the skull, making it accessible for detailed anthropological analysis," said Vladimir Kanygin, head of the Laboratory of Nuclear and Innovative Medicine at the NSU Faculty of Physics.

A CT scan performed on a Philips MX 16 provided comprehensive data on the condition of the bones. It revealed not only the consequences of severe trauma (a 6-8 mm depression of the right temporal bone) but also subtle details invisible during routine examination. These included: displacement and subluxation of the mandible with ligament rupture, two artificial bone canals in the joint area, drilled during the patient's life, and annular bone compaction around these canals, proving their origin and healing process during life. An attempt to probe the canals revealed remnants of an elastic material (likely tendon or hair), used as a surgical ligature to stabilize the jaw. The CT scan also clearly showed asymmetry in the dental arch and signs of increased stress on the left side, confirming the success of the ancient surgery and the woman's significant survival.

"Thus, the CT scanner acted as a 'time machine,' providing non-destructive access to anatomical structures. It allowed us not only to diagnose the injury but also to reconstruct the results of a complex surgical intervention performed in ancient times, transforming a single find into detailed evidence of the Pazyryk culture's high level of medical knowledge," explained Vladimir Kanygin.

The Verkh-Kaldzhin-2 burial ground on the Ukok Plateau in the Altai Republic was discovered in 1994 by Vyacheslav Molodin, Doctor of Historical Sciences and Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences. This site belongs to the Pazyryk culture, an archaeological culture of the Scythian-Siberian world during the Iron Age (6th-3rd centuries BC), known for its "frozen" graves, which preserve organic objects and sometimes even the mummies of the deceased.

In this small burial ground, consisting of five small, barely visible mounds, three adjacent stone burial structures were excavated. Two of them were found to be undisturbed and fully met the researchers' expectations. In the shallow graves, in the wooden vaults of ordinary Pazyryk people, all the utensils they brought with them were preserved, consisting of remarkable wooden objects and clothing items made of fabric and fur. And in Mound 3, a well-preserved male mummy was discovered. It is currently housed in the Museum of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, along with all the other artifacts from these burials. The finds from the Verkh-Kaldzhin-2 burial ground immediately became widely known, and have been the subject of numerous publications both in Russia and abroad. But there remained one burial, located between these two known ones, about which, as it seemed at the time, there was nothing to say, said Natalia Polosmak, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Chief Researcher at the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

It was a complete, undisturbed burial of a woman, preserved in a lens of ice. She lay in a perfectly preserved larch frame on a wooden cot, lying on her right side, with her legs tucked under her, in a sleeping position. The burial was unusually absent of any objects, which is likely why it held little interest for the researchers. The only item was a wig, typical of women of the Pazyryk culture, on the woman's head. However, the wig was devoid of any jewelry. It is likely that very little time had passed between her death and her burial, and the woman's body had not yet had time to transform into a mummy (usually, a prepared corpse would mummify during storage, which could last up to six months). What the archaeologists found was simply a decomposing corpse. Only the head of the deceased was partially mummified, with the facial portion remaining. It was preserved and is currently housed at the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

"This mummified patch of skin on the deceased's skull made anthropological research impossible, but we wanted to learn as much as possible about the woman, and her skull was all we had left. Therefore, the opportunity to study it on a CT scanner was a unique and fortunate opportunity, which I took advantage of," explained Natalia Polosmak.

A computed tomography scan was performed at the Leningrad Institute of Mathematics and Physics (NSU) using a Philips MX 16 CT scanner. It utilized 551 slices (0.75 mm thick, 0.375 mm interslice distance, and a 140 kVp setting—typical for adult patients). Next, Andrey Letyagin, MD, professor, and a top-category physician specializing in radiology, examined the woman's skull and its 3D model.

"We already had successful experience working with the results of a mummy study using magnetic resonance imaging. In 2010, Andrei Yuryevich Letyagin and Andrei Aleksandrovich Savelov, PhD in Physics and Mathematics and a senior researcher in the MRI Technologies Laboratory at the International Tomography Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, conducted an MRI scan of the mummy of a woman from the Ak-Alakha 3 burial mound, better known as the 'Princess of Ukok.'" Natalia Polosmak said: "This study yielded remarkable results, which, in addition to a number of important observations and discoveries, allowed us to answer the question of the cause of death of this extraordinary woman. Furthermore, this was invaluable experience working with the unusual mummies of the Ukok Plateau, which bear little resemblance to the Egyptian mummies or even other famous mummies of noble Pazyryk people housed in the Hermitage."

The results of the study of the skull of an unknown woman from a seemingly unremarkable Pazyryk burial site were unexpected, but not particularly surprising. From the study of the mummy of a woman from Ak-Alakha 3, as well as the pathology of the Pazyryk people of Ukok, they already knew that people of that time knew how to perform cranial trepanation during life. They did not abandon the sick and injured to their fate, but treated them with available methods and means. The Pazyryk people had a tradition of mummifying bodies, which involved various dissection techniques, from the simplest to quite complex. Therefore, they possessed extensive knowledge of the structure of the human body and its internal organs. Researchers believe that the tradition of mummification contributed to the development of surgery. The Egyptians were among the most outstanding surgeons of antiquity, and the reason for their success lies in the same tradition of mummification, described in detail by Herodotus.

— Surgery is the first branch of medicine necessary to maintain and continue life. In the life that the Pazyryk people led in the extreme conditions of the Altai mountain valleys, it was necessary. The Pazyryk people were a small population, with a low birth rate, short life expectancy, with women having shorter lives, and from what we see, everyone’s life was valued. We know very little about what knowledge our ancestors possessed. If they did not have certain medical knowledge and did not use surgical methods, how would they survive in the extreme conditions of the mountain and high-altitude valleys of Altai? The new study was another important confirmation that the Pazyryk people knew how to perform complex surgical operations to save the lives of their fellow tribesmen. It should be noted that the unique preservation of organic objects in a number of Pazyryk graves, in particular leather coats, vessels, bags and other things, makes it possible to verify what unusual skills these people possessed today. So, those who sewed all this had extremely developed fine motor skills – what a surgeon needs, as a contemporary of the Pazyryk people – the great Herodotus – wrote about – that a surgeon needs to have good control of the ends of his fingers. After all, for example, for strength, the light leather fur coats of the Pazyryk people were stitched in parallel rows with thin tendon threads, and these seams ran at a distance of 4 mm from each other and per 1 cm of seam there could be up to 20 stitches, which they made with a thin needle. The hands of these craftsmen were already ready to perform surgical operations,” said Natalya Polosmak.   

While examining X-ray CT scans, Andrei Letyagin noticed that, in addition to all the standard changes typically found in such objects, this artifact showed evidence of severe traumatic impact—clearly during life. It also showed signs of a complex surgical procedure involving a crude replacement of the damaged joint.

"The study utilized the maximum capabilities of this equipment. Typically, such modes are used only in the rarest of medical cases, as the X-ray load on the object being examined is quite high. But in this case, the object being examined was not a living patient, but an archaeological artifact. As a result, we obtained images of the highest quality, which proved crucial in this situation. Upon examining them, we immediately noticed evidence of intervention typical of burial preparation among the Pazyryk people: part of the brain and the dura mater had been removed. Further results were obtained that we had not previously encountered in the scientific literature. It is possible that we have discovered evidence of such a surgical procedure for the first time," explained Andrey Letyagin.

During the initial examination of the skull images, traumatic changes were discovered in the area of the right temporomandibular joint. A subluxation with displacement and severe ligament damage were clearly visible. The cause of these changes was also determined: a traumatic deformation of the skull with a depression of the bones of the right temporal region by approximately 6–8 mm. The mandible remained intact, but the right temporomandibular joint was destroyed, the head of the jaw was displaced under the skin, and the lateral ligament was torn. After such a severe injury, the woman was unable to eat or speak, and without qualified surgical care, seemingly unavailable at the time, she would have died soon after. However, further examination revealed that the woman had survived—the teeth on the damaged side were well preserved, but on the left, "healthy" side, the molars on the lower jaw were severely damaged, as if they had been subjected to prolonged, intense chewing stress. The crowns were worn down and chipped, there were inflammatory changes around the roots, and the eighth tooth had been affected by complicated caries and had completely lost its crown. The bone tissue around the roots was sparse, indicating a prolonged inflammatory process. Scientists needed to determine how the woman could chew with such a severe injury, and for so long that the crowns were worn down. They found the answer through a more detailed study of the CT images.

We noticed changes in the right temporomandibular joint that were clearly non-traumatic and not age-related, but rather human-induced, most likely by a doctor. These were two thin canals, 1.53 mm in diameter, drilled into the bone. They were quite long—one about half a centimeter, and the other somewhat longer, almost 8 millimeters. Interestingly, they converged at a right angle. One canal was drilled through the head of the mandible, and the second through the zygomatic process of the temporal bone. In the area of the right temporomandibular joint, they converged at a right angle when the jaw was closed. Most likely, the patient kept her mouth open during the surgery. These canals were likely drilled in two stages—horizontally and vertically. CT images clearly showed that the bone had been drilled very smoothly, and bone tissue had grown around the holes. The half-millimeter-thick annular bone compaction we discovered indicates that these canals were formed during life. Some elastic material—most likely horsehair or animal tendon—was found within them. This primitive prosthetic held the articular surfaces together and allowed the patient to move her jaw. The joint functioned, but she still couldn't chew food on the injured side due to severe pain," said Andrey Letyagin.

It is impossible to determine the circumstances under which such a serious injury occurred. Scientists speculate that the woman could have sustained such a powerful blow from a fall from a horse while galloping or from a height. It is also unknown how long she survived after the operation—perhaps several months or years. The injury left her skull distorted, depressed on the right side, which undoubtedly affected her appearance. However, she retained the ability to speak and eat throughout this time.

It was determined that the woman whose skull was CT-scanned at the Novosibirsk State University Laboratory of Archaeology and Mathematics was approximately 25-30 years old at the time of her death. By that time, most of her life had already been lived. Her burial is considered a so-called ordinary burial of the Pazyryk culture; however, contemporaries constructed a larch frame for her, constructed from massive half-logs, and she rested on a wooden cot.

"On treeless Ukok, such wood was valuable. The absence of artifacts makes the burial unusual, which, of course, has its explanation, but for now we can only speculate. The operation performed indicates that her life was valued and even such a risky method was used to prolong it. We don't know what her personal value to society consisted of. Every Pazyryk resident possessed certain essential, and perhaps even unique, qualities and talents, such as wood carving, sewing, felt and leather appliqué, tattooing, healing, storytelling, and much else we don't know. In this society, everyone was valued in life simply for their existence, and honored after death," said Natalia Polosmak.

Material prepared by: Elena Panfilo, NSU press service

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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Source: Novosibirsk State University –

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Today, a delegation from the Novosibirsk city administration, headed by Mayor Maxim Kudryavtsev, visited Novosibirsk State University, where a meeting was held with the participation of NSU Rector Dmitry Pyshny, Academic Supervisor Center for Artificial Intelligence (NSU Center for Information Technologies and Applications) Mikhail Fedoruk and Director of the NSU Center for Information Technologies and Applications Alexander Lyulko. During the event, the potential implementation of the Center's developments in the urban environment was discussed. The next step is expected to be the conclusion of a cooperation agreement between the municipality and the university.

Alexander Lyulko, head of the NSU Center for Information Technologies, and his colleagues discussed the Center's key projects, as well as the potential application of these developments to optimize urban infrastructure management.

One such project is aimed at creating software tools that use AI technologies to analyze urban heating systems and optimize their operation, as well as prevent accidents. Last year, NSU reached an agreement with the largest grid company in the Sovetsky District, FSUE UEV, to deploy such a system at one of its heating sites. The developers are now ready to implement similar pilot projects with municipal heating networks in Novosibirsk.

The meeting also featured a presentation of a digital executive assistant based on the Sigma platform, event detectors created for video surveillance systems developed by Rostelecom, healthcare solutions, UAV control solutions, and more.

University representatives emphasized that they would like to see the mayor's office not only as a partner in implementing existing solutions, but also as a taskmaster for new developments.

"In such a complex task as building a 'smart city,' it's crucial that scientists and developers don't just come up with their own problems to solve, but rather focus on the client's pressing needs. It's great that a list of such problems was presented at this meeting, and it's clear that our employees understand how to achieve the desired result. The university primarily creates platform solutions that can be adapted for various purposes. What's important is that the city faces many challenges, and we're interested in solving them," noted NSU Rector and Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Dmitry Pyshny.

Novosibirsk Mayor Maxim Kudryavtsev supported this approach to cooperation.

"We are extremely interested in implementing big data, blockchain, and artificial intelligence technologies in housing and utilities networks, traffic management, life support, security, and many other areas of municipal work. If we see that a solution proposed by the NSU Artificial Intelligence Center reduces costs, optimizes the operation of city services, or improves their efficiency within existing budgets, we are ready to provide the necessary platforms for implementing such pilot projects. And then, if the results confirm the stated results, we will scale them up citywide," he said.

The meeting participants agreed to draft a corresponding cooperation agreement within a short timeframe. Initial potential projects include monitoring the condition of urban forests and identifying unauthorized dumpsites using drones, automating the preparation of applications for advertising structures, and creating another pilot site for monitoring the heating system using artificial intelligence technologies.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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Source: Novosibirsk State University –

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Novosibirsk Region Governor Andrey Travnikov held his traditional meeting with graduate students and young scientists at the Vorozhtsov Novosibirsk Institute of Organic Chemistry SB RAS on the eve of Science Day on February 6. Participants included Alexander Zhukov, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation; Valentin Parmon, Vice President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Chairman of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences; and Dmitry Pyshny, Rector of Novosibirsk State University and Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. More than 180 young scientists and graduate students attended the event. Those present were interested in a range of topical issues, including the development of scientific research, promoting the commercialization of scientific research results, financing of the region's scientific sector, ways to provide young scientists with housing, landscaping, developing the social sphere, and improving transport accessibility in the Novosibirsk Akademgorodok. Those present also had the opportunity to participate in a discussion aimed at strengthening interactions between scientific organizations, graduate students, and young scientists' councils.

Elena Bagryanskaya, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics and Director of the N.N. Vorozhtsov Novosibirsk Institute of Organic Chemistry, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, delivered the welcoming speech. She explained that her institute is the leader in the number of youth laboratories—seven of the 21 laboratories operating at the institute hold this status. This was the reason for the choice of venue for the meeting.

"Our laboratories offer great opportunities to young people. If they work successfully first as undergraduates and then as graduate students, they will be able to realize their potential as researchers and build a scientific career," said Elena Bagryanskaya.

One of the most relevant and sought-after support measures implemented in the Novosibirsk Region is the creation of youth laboratories, which are funded, in part, by the regional budget. Maxim Mironov, PhD, head of the Youth Research Laboratory of Chemistry and Technology of Secondary Metabolites of Plants and Animals at the Novosibirsk Institute of Organic Chemistry (SB RAS), spoke about supporting young scientists using the example of a specific youth laboratory. His presentation focused on the implementation of the project "Development of Technologies for the Integrated Processing of Plant Raw Materials from Siberia and the Far East to Produce Products for the Medical, Agricultural, Food, and Cosmetic Industries."

Ekaterina Simonova, a research fellow at the Sobolev Institute of Geology and Mineralogy, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and a candidate of geological and mineralogical sciences, discussed support measures for young scientists using regional grants from the Russian Science Foundation as an example.

NSU Rector, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Doctor of Chemical Sciences Dmitry Pyshny spoke about the conditions created for young researchers at the university.

"Novosibirsk State University is one of the leading educational institutions in the country. Our graduates are well-known not only in Novosibirsk but throughout the country, as they form the core faculty of the SB RAS institutes. Currently, 8,700 students are enrolled at NSU, with approximately 2,000 graduating annually. The number of international students has increased sharply in recent years, currently exceeding 1,500. NSU employs approximately 3,000 faculty members. Importantly, approximately 80% of them are part-time, directly working at SB RAS institutes at the forefront of science. Our graduate program is vibrant, with over 500 specialists currently enrolled. Not only Russian but also international candidates successfully defend their PhD dissertations at our university, after which they become fully-fledged, highly qualified staff for the university," said Dmitry Pyshny.

The NSU rector also said that NSU students and graduate students actively use grant support for their projects. They are recipients of a scholarship from the President of the Russian Federation for graduate students conducting research in priority areas of scientific and technological progress, they receive grants from the Russian Science Foundation under the Presidential Program for scientific groups led by young scientists – candidates and doctors of science, and grants from the Russian Science Foundation under the Presidential Program of Research Projects for Young Scientists. Currently, young NSU scientists have received five regional grants for the following projects: “Development of new catalysts for the production of hydrogen from renewable raw materials”, “Microresonators of whispering gallery modes for creating elements of sensor systems”, “Development of pyroelectric photodetector technology”, “Research of a new crystal for creating radiation sources in the mid-IR range” and “Development of measuring techniques for diffraction research at SKIF stations”. There are 7 youth laboratories at NSU, created jointly with industrial partners: “Technological solutions for creating functional materials and devices for use in electronics”, “Development of computational libraries for processing and analysis of seismic data”, “New biomedical genetic engineering technologies based on adenovirus”, “Development of new effective algorithms for describing and interpreting multi-component multiphase flows during hydrocarbon production”, “Development of new photonic technologies and methods for processing sensory signals using machine learning methods for agricultural technological applications”, “Low-carbon chemical technologies for use in organic electronics”, “Axiological potential of Buddhism in the context of international relations of Russia with the countries of East Asia: history and modernity”.

Importantly, NSU has established dissertation councils. As part of its system for training highly qualified personnel, it operates a system for independently awarding academic degrees in such fields as mathematics and mechanics, physical sciences, earth sciences, economics, engineering (computer science), and chemistry.

In his speech, Valentin Parmon, Chairman of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, noted that personnel training is of particular importance for the development of science, and NSU is effectively fulfilling this task. NSU has been and remains a unique source of talent for the SB RAS.

An important part of the meeting included answers from Novosibirsk Region Governor Andrey Travnikov and First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Alexander Zhukov to questions from young scientists. They discussed issues such as promoting the commercialization of scientific research results, funding for the region's scientific sector, ways to provide housing for young scientists, social development, landscaping, and improving transportation accessibility to Novosibirsk's Akademgorodok.

"The federal center is currently doing quite a lot in support of young scientists. There's a whole system of grants and labs for young researchers. State support measures are in place at the federal and regional levels, and there are also separate regional programs. Of course, we'd like to see more. Young scientists today are concerned about housing. I think this problem will be addressed over time," said Alexander Zhukov.

He also noted that the tasks set by the Russian President are entirely achievable with young scientists like those at the Novosibirsk Akademgorodok, including those of technological leadership.

Novosibirsk Region Governor Andrei Travnikov emphasized that the Novosibirsk Region Government is interested in strengthening ties between government agencies and scientists.

"Akademgorodok is a multidisciplinary research center, and the Novosibirsk region's economy is highly diversified. It's difficult to prioritize, and that would be wrong—we're trying to develop across all sectors, leveraging the scientific and educational potential we inherited," he said.

Alexander Travnikov also added that a comfortable environment and developed infrastructure are essential for scientists to work effectively.

"I can assure you that, despite the temporary budget difficulties we're experiencing this year, not a single infrastructure project in Akademgorodok planned for 2026-2027, at either the regional or federal level, is being curtailed or even delayed. Construction of the second phase of the NSU campus will be completed on schedule. The regional project to build the second phase of Akadempark will proceed. Improvements to the park on Demakova Street will continue. A rather interesting and large-scale project to create Cherbuzy Square will begin this year. A children's music school in Akademgorodok will be opened this year, and we will begin implementing the Universitetskaya station construction project," the Governor said.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Novosibirsk State University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

A terahertz nanoantenna sensor for detecting the biomarker L-2-hydroxyglutarate was created by researchers at the Laboratory for Functional Diagnostics of Low-Dimensional Structures for Nanoelectronics at the Analytical and Technological Research Center "High Technologies and Nanostructured Materials." Faculty of Physics Novosibirsk State University. L-2-hydroxyglutarate and its enantiomer (the "mirror image" of the substance molecule), D-2 hydroxyglutarate, are formed as a result of specific changes in cellular metabolism in various types of cancer. As the pathological process progresses, the level of biomarkers in the body increases, and they accumulate in affected organs and tissues, as well as in the blood of cancer patients. Early detection of this biomarker and determination of its concentration in the body are crucial for developing a treatment strategy and assessing the effectiveness of cancer therapy. The sensor developers presented the results of their study in the article "Terahertz nanoantenna sensor for detecting the biomarker L-2-hydroxyglutarate: design optimization and testing" (“Terahertz nanoantenna sensor for detection of biomarker L‑2‑Hydroxyglutarate, design optimization and testing”), published in the journal Optical and Quantum Electronics.

— L-2-hydroxyglutarate plays an important role in many physiological processes and is considered as a biomarker for various types of cancer. An increase in its level occurs in malignant tumors of the brain, pancreas, kidneys and other organs. To correctly diagnose and predict the course of the disease, it is necessary to know what the concentration of L-2-hydroxyglutarate is in the patient’s organs and tissues. For these purposes, gas and liquid chromatography methods are currently used in combination with mass spectrometry to determine the level of this biomarker in blood serum and cerebrospinal fluid. These methods require complex sample preparation and expensive equipment. There are other diagnostic methods aimed at detecting changes in blood composition, but they require a long time and, as a rule, they are performed strictly according to medical indications. Some diseases develop covertly for a long time, so their timely detection is difficult. For example, glioma, a tumor that affects the glial cells of the brain or spinal cord, often does not make itself felt until a certain point, often appearing in late stages, when therapy is either ineffective or completely impossible. Therefore, we have attempted to develop optical systems capable of performing rapid diagnostics by detecting excess concentrations of L-2-hydroxyglutarate and D-2 hydroxyglutarate, as well as changes in their ratio. Our development can make it possible to detect oncological diseases in the early stages and, therefore, begin treatment in a timely manner,” said Nazar Nikolaev, Candidate of Technical Sciences, senior researcher at the Laboratory of Functional Diagnostics of Low-Dimensional Structures for Nanoelectronics, ATIC FF NSU, as well as the head of the Terahertz Photonics Laboratories at the Institute of Automation and Energy SB RAS.

A team of six scientists from NSU, the Institute of Automation and Electrometry SB RAS, and the A.V. Rzhanov Institute of Semiconductor Physics SB RAS collaborated on the development of new optical sensors. They drew on the research of their colleagues in China, who conducted spectroscopy of the biomarkers L-2-hydroxyglutarate and D-2 hydroxyglutarate and found that the spectra of these isomers in the far-infrared (terahertz) range differ. The L-isomer has a characteristic absorption peak near 1.337 THz, while the D-isomer has a peak near 1.695 THz. Based on these data, the laboratory's researchers developed a new type of optical sensor based on terahertz nanoantennas for detecting L-2-hydroxyglutarate in biological samples.

The device is an array of gold nanoantennas on a silicon substrate. NSU scientists performed electrodynamic calculations of the sensor structure and optimized the geometric parameters to excite plasmon resonance at the required frequency for this biomarker – 1.337 THz. The sensor was fabricated using nanolithography at the Institute of Semiconductor Physics SB RAS and characterized using scanning electron microscopy. Spectral measurements and testing of the sensor were conducted at the Spectroscopy and Optics Shared Use Center of the Institute of Automation SB RAS. Its specific sensitivity to the L-2-hydroxyglutarate biomarker was confirmed experimentally using pulsed terahertz spectroscopy. By monitoring the resonance behavior in the sensor's transmission spectrum with increasing L-2-hydroxyglutarate concentration, the researchers determined the sensor's sensitivity. The study identified the device's shortcomings and proposed a solution to improve its sensitivity and biomarker level detection accuracy.

The nanoantenna itself is a simple dipole resonator. With a length close to half the wavelength, it effectively interacts with the electromagnetic wave, whose energy is concentrated at the antenna ends. In our case, the antenna length is approximately 40 µm. The prefix "nano" means that we moved the antennas end-to-end and created the smallest possible gap between them. This gap is approximately 100 nanometers. The University team was tasked with optimizing the antenna dimensions to increase the field strength at a frequency of 1.337 THz in the nanogap. As the field strength increases, so does the sensor sensitivity. The sensor design itself was not new, but the engineering task of optimizing it for the terahertz frequency range was our first. After testing, we identified key ways to increase the sensitivity of this class of sensors, related to further increasing the signal-to-noise ratio and increasing the spectral resolution of the entire sensor system, for example, by applying an antireflective coating to the back of the sensor or increasing the thickness of its substrate, explained Nazar Nikolaev.

Scientists claim that in a similar way it is possible to make a sensor for detecting the biomarker D-2 hydroxyglutarate, which has a resonance frequency of about 1.695 THz, and, combining it with one already developed for the biomarker L-2-hydroxyglutarate, obtain a universal device that works to detect the amount of both isomers. However, in the process of working on these devices, they identified a number of shortcomings of the technical approach using nanoantennas. The plasmon surface resonance interacting with the biomarker molecule is an absorption resonance: interacting with an electromagnetic wave, the nanoantenna absorbs energy, and a dip is formed in the corresponding region of the spectrum. To assess the concentration of a biomarker, it is necessary to study changes in the characteristics of a given dip: amplitude, frequency shift. And a problem arises: due to the absorption of energy in this area, the signal-to-noise ratio decreases. Therefore, strong noise does not allow one to reliably determine the presence and concentration of a small amount of a substance. It became obvious that such a design as nanoantennas is not the optimal technical solution. Scientists have proposed another approach to solving the problem, based on an inverse structure, i.e. instead of thin metal strips (antennas) there are slits. The metal surface of the sensor must be solid, in which nano-sized slits are cut. This structure must have an inverse spectrum – not energy absorption at the operating frequency, but maximum transmission at a given frequency and suppression of other frequencies. Then the optimal signal amplitude and high signal-to-noise ratio will be achieved, which will improve the diagnostic accuracy. Now scientists have to translate the results of their research into a new device. They have already begun to develop a new sensor that will not have the shortcomings identified in the nanoantenna sensor. Work on it is expected to be completed this year.

We anticipate that the new sensor will produce more reliable results and lower measurement noise. If this is confirmed, we will be able to move on to testing not model solutions of the substance, as in the previous stage of research, but blood serum, which is a complex biological fluid. This will allow us to test our sensor for detecting the L-2-hydroxyglutarate biomarker under conditions close to real-world conditions. Potentially, if successful, our device could be used in clinical diagnostics. However, to test the sensor and detect this biomarker, we currently use expensive systems with a wide spectral range. Only specialized specialists with the skills to configure and process data can operate such laboratory equipment. However, since real-world practice requires only resonant frequency analysis, the entire diagnostic system can be simplified by transferring it to a more accessible single-frequency radiation source. With further development of the appropriate software, this diagnostic equipment could be used by medical professionals without the need for specialized physicists. However, even if our new sensor proves effective, it will require several years of engineering and design work, as well as the device's certification process, said Nazar Nikolaev.

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Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Novosibirsk State University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Mikhail Maslov, an engineer at the Vega Observatory of the NSU Physics Department, photographed comet 240P/NEAT and a fragment that broke off from it through a telescope. The images were taken near the village of Verkh-Irmen in the Novosibirsk region on February 4, 2026.

Comet 240P/NEAT was discovered in 2002 by the American Near Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT) system. It is a medium-sized Jupiter-family comet with an orbital period of 7-8 years.

"During this comet's previous returns in 2010 and 2018, it exhibited brightness fluctuations—flares or, conversely, a loss of brightness—which suggests possible fragmentation or ejections of clouds of nuclear material, although no obvious fragments were observed during these returns," said Mikhail Maslov.

This time, during the comet's return, a fragment broke off from it, which was first noticed in October 2025.

"Comet fragmentation, which can be observed, is not a very frequent event, but it nevertheless occurs fairly regularly. Excluding solar comets, it occurs for observed comets approximately once every two to three years, but this is a very rough estimate," explained Mikhail Maslov.

In this image, the main comet, 240P/NEAT, is in the center, and a fragment designated 240P/NEAT B is visible as a smaller comet to the right and below the main comet. The conditions for shooting were not ideal, as there was significant light pollution.

"The fragment itself is currently approximately 30 times dimmer than the main comet. At the time of the photograph, the comet was 2.16 AU from the Sun (approximately 322 million km) and 1.73 AU from Earth (approximately 258 million km). It passed perihelion (its closest distance to the Sun) on December 19 of last year, meaning it is now moving away from the Sun," added Mikhail Maslov.

The comet and its fragment can only be observed visually through large professional telescopes, but thanks to the accumulation of light, they can also be photographed through an amateur telescope.

"The comet's brightness during the photograph was 12.5 magnitudes, and the fragment's brightness was around 16, far beyond the naked eye's visibility limit of 5-6 magnitudes. The comet is invisible even in amateur telescopes, and only the largest ones, 30-40 cm in diameter, can be seen, and even then, at the limit of their visibility under dark skies. To visually observe the fragment, professional telescopes, probably at least a meter in diameter, would be required. However, thanks to the accumulation of light, the comet and fragment can be captured in photographs through an amateur telescope," concluded Mikhail Maslov.

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Source: Novosibirsk State University –

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From April 15 to 21, 2026, Novosibirsk State University will host the International Scientific Student Conference (ISSC-2026)—one of the largest scientific events for undergraduate, graduate, and school students.

As usual, the conference will begin with general registration and a formal opening. The program includes an interactive platform, popular science lectures by renowned scientists, and informal networking. Throughout the week, participants will enjoy section sessions, roundtable discussions, open seminars, master classes, tours of NSU and Akademgorodok, and other events.

In 2026, the MNSK program was significantly expanded. Key innovations include:

An expanded medical program—for the first time, separate sections for "Experimental Medicine" and "Clinical Medicine" have been created, with subsections on internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, obstetrics, and gynecology. A new focus in the "Scientific Engineering" section—the oil and gas program is now presented in the format "Digital Approaches in Oil and Gas Engineering." New legal programs for schoolchildren include the "Economics and Law" subsection within the "Socio-Economic Sciences" section and the "Jurisprudence" subsection within the Humanities section.

The International Scientific and Cultural Society (ISSC) remains a platform for interdisciplinary dialogue, exchange of ideas, and introduction to the scientific community.

Particular attention is traditionally paid to the humanities and natural sciences.

"The Journalism section typically has three to four subsections: "Media Presentation of Sociocultural Phenomena," "Modern Media Technologies," "Media Languages and Discourses," and "History of Journalism." Participants come from Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, Moscow, Tomsk, and other cities," notes Natalya Simonova, secretary of the Journalism section.

According to her, the topics of the papers cover a wide range of research: from the representation of social issues and identities to the analysis of the language and style of Russian media, media concepts and media images, including audiovisual formats, as well as issues in the history of journalism and its understanding in modern media. In 2026, the section hopes to expand its scope and geographic participation, including through a remote format.

The Mathematics section also offers wide opportunities for young researchers.

"The 12 subsections of the Mathematics section provide undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to present their work in both classical theoretical disciplines and applied fields, but all presentations remain based on a solid mathematical foundation," explains Tatyana Tikhonova, section secretary.

Traditionally, section submissions are accepted in LaTeX format, which helps participants prepare for publication in leading scientific journals. The "Theoretical Cybernetics" and "Mathematical Modeling" subsections have been the most popular for many years—after selection, over 35 papers are submitted, so the sessions are held in several stages.

"Over the past two years, interest in the 'Monte Carlo Methods and Related Topics' subsection has grown significantly. Schoolchildren actively participate in its work, conducting undergraduate-level research," notes Tatyana Tikhonova.

The subsections "Algebra and Mathematical Logic," "Geometry and Analysis," and "Differential Equations" traditionally feature strict selection—attention is paid not only to the content but also to the style of presentation and the formatting of formulas. The subsection "Mathematical Economics" is particularly noteworthy, as participants receive assistance in refining their abstracts and refining their research papers.

For the third time, the Mathematics section will feature an English-language subsection, Problems and Prospects for the Development of the Scientific and Technological Space, where students learn to present their research in English and receive expert evaluation.

"Students from Russian and international universities, including the HSE, Tomsk, Altai, Irkutsk, St. Petersburg, Siberian, and Urgench universities, among others, regularly participate in the section's work," adds the section secretary.

The 2026 International Scientific Conference (ISC) is not only about scientific reports, but also about lively dialogue, professional connections, and the first step into a larger scientific community.

Follow the news, choose a section, and join the community of young researchers!

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Source: Novosibirsk State University –

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Today, TASS-Siberia held a press conference to kick off a series of events dedicated to Russian Science Day, supported by the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education in regions ranging from Vladivostok to Kaliningrad. Participants included Deputy Governor Irina Manuilova; Rector of Novosibirsk State University, Doctor of Chemical Sciences, and Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Dmitry Pyshny; Director of the Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Doctor of Chemical Sciences Vladimir Koval; and Director of the Research Institute of Clinical and Experimental Lymphology (branch of the Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS), Doctor of Medical Sciences Maxim Korolev. The press conference focused on the development of the scientific community in the region, advances in medical biotechnology, and promising areas of collaboration between Novosibirsk State University and the research institutes of the SB RAS.

The Deputy Governor noted the particular relevance of supporting the industry in the lead-up to Russian Science Day, celebrated on February 8, and the Decade of Science and Technology.

– The regional government’s most important priority is work within the framework of medical research projects. This work is being carried out within the framework of the national projects “Bioeconomics,” “New Materials and Chemistry,” and “New Health-Saving Technologies.” It will be further developed at the educational and scientific center of the Institute of Medicine and Medical Technologies of NSU, which is a second-stage facility. modern campus of NSU, being built as part of the national project "Youth and Children," Irina Manuilova emphasized.

In 2025, 33 projects were supported for a total of 123.5 million rubles. These include 24 projects implemented since 2024 and nine new projects. The supported projects are in healthcare, agriculture, housing and utilities, telecommunications, transportation, construction, and other sectors. In the region, research in medical biotechnology, including in youth laboratories for experimental and clinical pharmacology, molecular epidemiology, and viral biodiversity, is underway. The Immune Regulation Laboratory is developing cutting-edge technologies to improve the effectiveness of bone marrow transplantation, which will improve the quality of life, extend life expectancy, and reduce treatment costs.

Dmitry Pyshny, Rector of Novosibirsk State University and Doctor of Chemical Sciences and Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, emphasized the interdisciplinary nature of modern science and the university's role as a platform capable of bringing together specialists from various fields to implement major projects. He emphasized the need to strengthen the Novosibirsk Scientific Center's representation in federal scientific and technological development programs, such as genetic technology. It is also important to concentrate the region's existing research capabilities, both at universities and at SB RAS institutes, in other promising areas with potential for implementation in the real economy and the potential to improve people's lives, such as immunotherapy, cell technologies (CAR-T therapy), molecular diagnostics, genome editing, and agrobiotechnology. Akademgorodok boasts all the necessary resources for this, including leading research schools in biotechnology, bioorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, biomedicine, and industrial biotechnology.

Vladimir Koval, Director of the Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine and Doctor of Chemical Sciences, noted that mathematicians, physicists, chemists, and biologists—people capable of solving a multitude of interdisciplinary problems—work side by side in the Novosibirsk Akademgorodok. Currently, collaboration is at the forefront, with the goal, in particular, of developing drugs based on interfering RNA for the treatment of cancer.

Maxim Korolev also spoke about the unification of efforts between universities and research centers. He emphasized that modern biotechnology science is based on the evidence of multicenter research. In the Novosibirsk Region, Maxim Korolev identified two points of collective growth: the Siberian Biomedical Research Center and Novosibirsk State University, two important meeting points that can bring any ambitious project to fruition.

Last year, the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, as part of a consortium led by the National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute," won a project under the "High-Tech Bioeconomy" program to use CAR T-cell technologies in a hospital-based approach to treat rheumatic diseases. The project involves the Research Institute of Fundamental and Clinical Immunology, the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk State University, and several industrial partners. NSU will receive the award in 2025 as part of the program. Priority 2030 program A laboratory has opened that will provide the new technology with a very important element: the creation of viral vectors that will overcome barriers when introducing genetic material into a cell.

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Source: Novosibirsk State University –

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The 2025-2026 flu season is very similar to the season of two years ago and differs significantly from last year's in its timing. The peak incidence this season was recorded approximately two months earlier than last year's. The dominant subtype of influenza A was the H3N2 subtype, while last season's flu was the H1N1 subtype. Sergei Netesov, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Head of the Laboratory of Bionanotechnology, Microbiology, and Virology at the Faculty of Natural Sciences at Novosibirsk State University, commented on the situation.

— Almost all the forecasts for the current epidemic season have already come to pass. A slight increase in flu cases is expected in Siberian regions in the near future, but the peak is behind us. According to the A.A. Smorodintsev Influenza Research Institute, this peak was recorded in weeks 51-52 of last year. This was followed by a sharp decline. This trend continued until weeks 1-2 of this year, after which a resurgence was observed, but certainly not as significant as at the end of last year. The decline in cases during the New Year holidays is natural—healthcare facilities are not operating at full capacity, many patients do not have to go to work, and they do not need to provide sick leave, so only a fraction of cases are officially registered. This decline has given way to a slight resurgence, which is still ongoing in some regions, and is expected to be followed by a further decline. A resurgence in flu cases is not expected in the spring of this epidemic season. At the same time, the proportion of diseases caused by viruses other than the influenza virus is growing: adenoviruses, respiratory syncytial virus, and common coronaviruses, so it’s too early to rest on our laurels.

Looking at the incidence curve for the current epidemic season and the graph for the same period last year, we can see that they are identical, but they occur in different periods. Last year, the peak incidence occurred in weeks 10-12 of 2025. It's worth noting that the previous epidemic season was unique due to this shift in incidence. The current epidemic season has returned to the traditional timing typical of previous years.

The hospitalization curves for patients with a clinical diagnosis of influenza in the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons are similar. However, the peak reached in the current epidemic season is significantly higher than last year's.

The main causative agent of the disease remains the influenza A virus subtype H3N2. Vaccination, as always, is an effective preventative measure, but it's too late now. The best time to get vaccinated is September and October, when people will be protected from this virus before the peak in cases, which typically occurs in mid-November and December. I believe vaccination is absolutely essential every two to three years, and for the elderly and patients in high-risk groups—those with diabetes, organ transplant recipients, those with serious chronic diseases, and those with immunodeficiency—it should be done annually.

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Source: Novosibirsk State University –

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The All-Russian Sparrow Census, "Sparrows in the Bushes," will take place from February 7th to 15th. During the census, scientists and ordinary people count the number of sparrows in our yards, parks, and fields. The event has been held since 2023. This year, Novosibirsk State University is the project's regional partner for the first time. Last year, Novosibirsk ranked fifth in sparrow counts, and this year, organizers hope to bring the region into the top three.

Sparrows have long lived alongside humans. House sparrows, in particular, are synanthropic, meaning their lives are directly linked to the human world. They are an integral part of our ecosystem. If sparrows suffer, so does our common home. In recent decades, ornithologists have noticed a decline in sparrow numbers. To confirm this and determine the causes, a sparrow census was conducted. The results of the count will help determine the population status and develop measures to address the situation.

However, scientists alone can't do it, because Russia is a large country, and it's important to count birds at a specific time and compare them with previous years' results. Therefore, citizen science—that's us—comes to the aid of scientists.

Senior Lecturer Humanities Institute of NSULyudmila Budneva, philologist and regional project coordinator, commented:

Why would I count sparrows? Because I can. I grew up in Akademgorodok, where the Young Naturalists' Station taught us first-graders to pay attention to the world around us, distinguish between animal species, and help them. My profession has nothing to do with biology, but my love of ornithology and the ability to see and hear birds remained, so I became a birdwatcher. Fortunately, Akademgorodok, Novosibirsk, and our region as a whole offer ample opportunities for birdwatching. For example, while I'm walking to work at Novosibirsk State University, I can spot 30 species of birds in 10 minutes during the winter alone! And sparrows are among my favorites. I associate them with friendship and spring.

Anyone can participate in the census. Simply find the sparrows, memorize their location, take a photo or video of them (a smartphone camera is usually sufficient), and submit this data by filling out a form on the project website. Detailed instructions are available on the website. sparrow.nbud.ru.

Participants must be 5 years old or older. Individuals and groups can participate. For example, neighbors could organize a mini-competition in the building's chat room, or the class could go sparrow-watching around the school.

"Tree sparrows predominate in Akademgorodok; they're less dependent on humans than house sparrows. House sparrows can be found in Shch and Shlyuz. You should look for them in the bushes where they hide, at bird feeders, and along the roads," added Lyudmila Budneva.

Participating in the campaign is an opportunity to spend time outdoors, listen to birdsong, and recharge your batteries. The campaign also teaches the basics of monitoring local biodiversity, engages the public in scientific volunteering, creates a reason to spend more time outdoors and observe animals, and teaches responsibility and caring.

More than 80 Russian regions are participating in the campaign, and regions are ranked based on the number of birds counted, the number of sparrow encounters recorded, and the number of participants. In the winter of 2025, Novosibirsk Oblast ranked fifth out of 81 regions for sparrow counts: 224 observations were made, with a total of 9,166 sparrows counted. Organizers believe the region has every chance of making it into the top three, but only if it does so fairly.

Importantly, participation awards verified volunteer hours on dobro.rf, which at some universities add points to applicants' Unified State Exams (USE) scores and generally demonstrate the level of public responsibility. Participants who successfully pass at least one observation can receive a personalized electronic certificate with their personal statistics.

The census coincides with Darwin Week, organized by NSU. Both events, on the one hand, are about curiosity and broadening horizons, and on the other, about getting acquainted with real science.

For advice on participation, please contact Anna Stanislavovna Mostovaya, head of the "Snail Marta" project: mostovaa@list.ru or via social networks VKontakteCoordinator in the Novosibirsk region is Lyudmila Viktorovna Budneva: @Budneva_Ludmila (Telegram), VKontakte.

The event is organized by the All-Russian public organization "Union for the Conservation of Birds of Russia," the popular biology project "Snail Marta," the autonomous non-profit organization "Center for Support of Initiatives in Science, Technology, and Culture 'Our Future,'" and the Presidential Nature Fund. In the Novosibirsk region, the event is supported by Novosibirsk State University.

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Source: Novosibirsk State University –

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In February 2025, Kim Seung-chan, Rector of Kim Il-sung University in the DPRK, asked Mikhail Fedoruk, Rector of Novosibirsk State University, to date human bones discovered in North Korea during archaeological excavations near Mount Baekdu and two other provinces. North Korean media reported this information last week. According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the archaeological sites excavated in and around this area represent burial sites dating back to the feudal Joseon Dynasty. Five burial sites were excavated on the shores of Cheongju Lake, four in Daehongdang County in Ryanggang Province and Musan County in North Hamgyong Province. Korean archaeologists noted that the shape of all the discovered burial sites was similar to a Korean burial site previously discovered on an island in Samjiyon Pond No. 1.

Last January, a delegation from Kim Il Sung University, the leading university in the DPRK, visited Novosibirsk State University. During the visit, representatives from the two universities agreed to intensify interuniversity cooperation. To more effectively organize joint work, a roadmap for the coming year was signed. The universities agreed to focus their efforts on the following areas: organizing research internships for young scientists lasting one to three months in agreed-upon areas; conducting joint research, seminars and conferences at NSU and research institutes of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences; and exchanging faculty. During this official visit, samples were donated for radiocarbon dating, marking the first joint effort between the two universities under the signed roadmap.

As part of the roadmap's implementation, a series of online lectures on Juche philosophy was organized for Russian students in the fall of 2025, with students from 19 Russian universities participating. Furthermore, a decision was made to explore the possibility of opening an office of Kim Il Sung University in the Novosibirsk Akademgorodok; a potential location is currently being sought, said Yevgeny Sagaydak, Head of the NSU Education Export Department.

According to radiocarbon dating conducted at the NSU-NSC Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Center, the burials were dated to the mid-18th to mid-19th centuries, confirming the North Korean scientists' hypothesis: since the mid-18th century, people living in the Mount Paektu region, including Ryanggang and North Hamgyong provinces, have buried the remains of their loved ones around Lake Cheongji. The North Korean Society of Archaeologists has determined that the burials discovered in the Ryanggang and North Hamgyong provinces, including the shore of Lake Cheongji on Mount Paektu, were buried according to the burial custom of the Palhae kingdom. This was reported by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) last week.

"Last March, we received bone and tooth samples from five individuals for dating using accelerator mass spectrometry. Chemical processing of the samples was performed at the Cenozoic Geochronology Center of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, while graphitization and AMS analysis were performed at the NSU-NSC Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Center. The results were received in the summer and sent to our international colleagues. For the NSU-NSC Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Center, this is the first time the Center has worked with foreign samples, and the results have been published in the main state news agency of a friendly country," said Ekaterina Parkhomchuk, Director of the NSU-NSC Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Center.

As Ekaterina Parkhomchuk explained, radiocarbon dating is based on the quantitative determination of changes in the C-14/C-12 carbon isotope ratio, using organic matter for dating. Although the C-14 nucleus decays over time, turning into a nitrogen atom (N-14), all living biological objects, including humans, maintain approximately the same level of C-14 over thousands of years as a result of their vital activity. The Earth's atmosphere, and subsequently the entire biosphere, is constantly replenished with this isotope by cosmic rays, compensating for decaying C-14. However, as soon as exchange with the environment ceases, the C-14 concentration in the object decreases. By measuring the loss of C-14, according to the law of radioactive decay, it is possible to determine the time during which exchange with the environment did not occur—that is, the time of the object's death. In fact, radiocarbon age is the relative content of C-14 in a substance, and the calendar period, or the calendar age of an object, is determined from the radiocarbon age using the international calibration curve, which is the result of extensive interdisciplinary cross-dating of natural archives by numerous laboratories worldwide. Since C-14 is extremely rare in the biosphere—about one trillionth of C-12—the dating result is highly dependent on the preservation of the material and the quality of purification of the material being dated.

— The soil in which human remains lie for a long time can not only contaminate, but also completely destroy organic matter, therefore, of the two materials – bones and teeth – for dating, we always ask for teeth that show the most reliable age. Unlike bones, teeth consist of denser, non-porous tissue and the preservation of organic matter is better. Archaeological material from the DPRK was collected from the shore of Lake Chongji (Heavenly Lake). This is the highest crater lake in the world. It is located at the top, in the caldera of the dormant but not extinct Paektusan volcano, where active fumaroles – outlets of hot volcanic gases and steam – are still observed. Such conditions could lead to poor preservation of bone remains, so we dated collagen separately from both bone fragments and teeth, but the results of the two materials for each individual were the same, showing the same age. On average, the radiocarbon age of objects is in the range of 100-200 years, which gives a fairly wide calendar period for the origin of the remains – between 1650 and 1950 AD. However, statistical processing of all the results, carried out by Petr Menshanov, an employee of the Institute of Intelligent Robotics of NSU, made it possible to narrow the probabilistic interval and limit the age of origin of the remains to the interval 1650-1900 AD, with the median ages suggesting the most likely dates of burial in the interval between 1760 and 1820 AD, explained Ekaterina Parkhomchuk.

Sergei Alkin, PhD in history, associate professor at the Department of Archaeology and Ethnography at the Novosibirsk State University Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, and senior researcher at the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, commented on the report by the Central Asian News Agency (CTAC) on the results of radiocarbon dating of burials at Lake Chongji.

"I think I'm right in saying that this is a unique case of dating archaeological materials from the northern part of the Korean Peninsula in our country. The first discussion of this possibility took place in Pyongyang during a discussion of possible areas of collaboration with fellow archaeologists from Kim Il Sung University in the spring of 2015. The leadership of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences offered assistance with absolute dating of archaeological samples, and in the fall of that year, a cooperation agreement was signed between NSU and Kim Il Sung University. As part of this agreement, we helped our Korean colleagues prepare several articles by archaeologists and linguists from Pyongyang for publication in our university's journals."

In the fall of 2016, a representative NSU delegation took part in events celebrating the 70th anniversary of Kim Il Sung University. It was led by Igor Marchuk. The delegation included archaeologists and philologists from the NSU Humanities Institute. They participated in the scientific program, presenting papers in the mathematics, linguistics, and archaeology sections.

"The regions from which the NSU-NSC Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Center's shared resources were provided for study are of great interest to Russian archaeologists, as they are the northernmost provinces of the DPRK, bordering not only China but also Russia's Primorsky Krai. Therefore, any new archaeological materials from this territory are of great interest to us. They are important, first and foremost, for studying ethnocultural contacts in the ancient and medieval Far East," explained Sergei Alkin. "Since the mid-1970s, NSU archaeologists have maintained varying degrees of contact with their North Korean colleagues, but these contacts subsequently faded. It was only in 2011 that I was able to participate in a scientific conference held at Kim Il Sung University, communicate with my Pyongyang colleagues, and share with them archaeological literature published by the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography SB RAS."

Some of the samples submitted for radiocarbon dating come from burials on the shores of Lake Cheongji on Mount Paektu. In Korean mythology, Mount Paektu is a sacred mountain where, according to the myth of Tangun, the founder of the first Korean state, the ancestors of the Korean people lived. Today, Mount Paektu is a symbol of independent Korea. It is also an important place in the history of Russian-Korean relations, and is associated with Novosibirsk.

The first scientific exploration in the Paektusan region was conducted in 1898 by railway engineer and writer Nikolai Georgievich Garin-Mikhailovsky (1852-1906). He led one of the teams on Alexander Zvegintsev's expedition, whose main objective was to study the forests in the Amnokkan River basin and determine the feasibility of building a railway between Vladivostok and the Chinese port of Lüshun.

In addition to official reports, an important result was the publication of N. G. Garin-Mikhailovsky's travel notes, "Across Korea, Manchuria, and the Liaodong Peninsula" (1899), as well as his collection of Korean folktales, which became the first examples of Korean folklore published in European languages (in Europe, they were quickly translated from Russian). This book by the Russian writer is an invaluable resource for the study of 19th-century Korea. It is unlikely that another foreign author living in the modern era would have left behind works so imbued with a warm feeling for Korea and its people. N. G. Garin-Mikhailovsky's notes, in spirit and content, stand apart from the dominant trend in regional studies literature of the time. The explorer sincerely sought to understand the national character of the Koreans. During the expedition, he established personal relationships with representatives of various strata of Korean society.

"The news report we learned about from North Korean media raises many questions. The very choice of materials for analysis is interesting. All the anthropological materials come from relatively late burials, dating back to the Joseon Dynasty. Therefore, my colleagues and I eagerly await a scientific publication in the archaeological journal Chosun Koyeongu or the Kim Il Sung University Bulletin," concluded Sergei Alkin.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.