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On January 1, 2026, at around 12:46 UT, weak activity from the trail of comet 255P/Levy, which it ejected in 1897, cannot be ruled out. According to calculations, this trail will pass at a distance of 0.00296 AU from Earth, the particle ejection velocity is high – 42.7 m/s, and the density is quite low – 21.9% of the density of the Leonid trail of one revolution (this means that the particles were ejected by the comet during its next perihelion and managed to make one revolution in orbit on their own, already as meteoric particles).

These parameters indicate a low probability of any noticeable visual activity, but this case is still recommended for observational verification. Estimated radiant: RA=329.9°, DEC=59.6°.

If this burst occurs at the indicated time, it will be visible primarily in the Asian part of Eurasia, as well as across much of northern North America and Greenland. Unfortunately, the nearly full Moon, at 88% phase, could significantly interfere with observations.

If the comet 255P/Levy exhibits meteor activity, meteors can be observed visually or using photo and video equipment with wide-angle lenses.

No meteor activity from this comet had previously been observed, so this event is of scientific interest: astrophysicists have a unique opportunity to record the activity of a new stream.

Comet 255P/Levy is a short-period comet (with an orbital period of approximately 5 years) of the Jupiter family. It was discovered on October 2, 2006, by Canadian amateur astronomer David Levy. The comet's next perihelion is expected in 2027.

Material prepared by: Mikhail Maslov, engineer at the Vega Observatory of Novosibirsk State University

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The work was carried out at the MEDIANA experimental station, designed for synchrotron X-ray microtomography research. The purpose of the trip was to study the creep of hydraulic fracturing (HF) fractures, which is caused by proppant intrusion into the rock under lithostatic pressure. This process leads to a decrease in fracture opening and deterioration of reservoir filtration properties. Although the creep effect is widely observed both in oil fields and in laboratory conditions, its mechanisms at the pore-space scale remain poorly understood.

To visualize and analyze this process, synchrotron X-ray microtomography was used, allowing for non-destructive investigation of the evolution of the core's internal structure and the spatial distribution of proppant. Experiments were conducted on core samples with an artificial fracture filled with proppant. The samples were placed in a specialized high-pressure, X-ray-transparent cell, which simulated reservoir conditions.

The obtained experimental data are planned to be used to analyze the mechanisms of hydraulic fracture degradation, as well as to clarify the influence of rock creep on the filtration properties of fractured reservoirs. The research results will be used to construct digital core models and reduce uncertainty in assessing the properties of oil and gas reservoirs.

The trip was funded by a grant from the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, aimed at developing infrastructure and methods for using synchrotron radiation to solve problems related to the extraction of hard-to-recover oil and gas reserves. The project involves developing and testing new approaches to digital and in-situ studies of core and fluids in oil and gas reservoirs, including experiments in specialized cells simulating reservoir conditions, as well as methods for studying non-stationary filtration and geomechanical processes.

The research trip was attended by Mikhail Fokin, a research fellow at the Gazpromneft-NSU Scientific and Educational Center, Alexey Novoselov, a research fellow at the Gazpromneft-NSU Scientific and Educational Center, and E.S. Kovalenko and A.A. Kaloyan, research fellows at KISI-Kurchatov.

Explanations for the images:

Image #2: A high-pressure radiolucent cell with a core sample mounted on the turntable of the MEDIANA station. Images #3, 4: Three-dimensional tomographic reconstruction of a core sample with a fracture filled with proppant. Image #4: Central slice of a three-dimensional tomographic reconstruction of a core with a fracture filled with proppant, obtained at different points in time during the experiment.

The event was implemented within the framework of the grant of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia No. 075-15-2025-510

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An auditorium named after the eminent Russian theoretical physicist Vladimir Evgenievich Zakharov has opened in the NSU classroom building, which is part of the second phase of the new campus being built as part of the national project "Youth and Children." The ceremony was attended by NSU Rector and RAS Academician Mikhail Fedoruk, Dean Faculty of Physics Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Vladimir Blinov and Vladimir Zakharov's students. Some of them joined the event online.

Vladimir Blinov opened the ceremony. In his opening remarks, the Dean of the NSU Physics Department noted that Vladimir Zakharov was a multifaceted personality—a brilliant scientist, a talented mentor of young scientists, and an outstanding poet. He was among the five most cited theoretical physicists in Russia, with over 40,000 citations and an h-index of 65. Vladimir Blinov remembered him as a very cheerful and energetic person.

Mikhail Fedoruk called the opening of the Vladimir Zakharov Auditorium a memorable event for the entire university, as the scholar was among its first graduates and later mentored a generation of talented students. The NSU rector spoke about his meetings and collaboration with Vladimir Evgenievich.

"He was an absolutely unforgettable and amazing person. I first met him at Vladimir Malkin's doctoral dissertation defense in 1993. Vladimir Moiseevich's dissertation was devoted to the theory of wave collapses, and I was a co-author of one of the papers included in it and attended the defense. It was devoted to the construction of self-similar regimes of supersonic wave collapses.

In 2010, he returned to Novosibirsk, and we began working together. Vladimir Zakharov often said he was delighted to be back in Akademgorodok after so many years, as he could breathe more freely and think more easily here. The subsequent years of our collaboration were unforgettable and the most memorable of my life. He supported me in every way when I became rector of NSU, as well as during the elections to the Academy of Sciences. Therefore, for me, the opening of this auditorium is a tribute of gratitude to this brilliant scientist, remarkable poet, and remarkable person with a strong civic stance," said Mikhail Fedoruk.

Next, the NSU rector read a message to the ceremony participants from Vladimir Zakharov's closest student and colleague, Evgeny Aleksandrovich Kuznetsov:

"Today you are opening an auditorium named after Vladimir Evgenievich Zakharov, my teacher and friend, with whom I was fortunate to work from my student days (since 1967) until his passing. This memorial auditorium is a wonderful monument to him.

Let me remind you that Vladimir Evgenievich was from the first graduating class of Novosibirsk State University. This graduating class produced four academicians—V.E. Zakharov, A.A. Galeev, and A.M. Fridman—all physicists, students of R.Z. Sagdeev, and one mathematician, Yu.L. Ershov.

Speaking of Zakharov, I must mention his outstanding achievements in the field of nonlinear science: physics and mathematics. He was one of the pillars of modern nonlinear science, the founder of three key fields: soliton theory, wave collapse theory, and turbulence. In each of these fields, he made significant contributions to their creation and development, and this largely determines their current state. Speaking of soliton theory, a field of mathematical physics, I emphasize that he is a classic. He is responsible for outstanding results in the development and advancement of the inverse scattering method, a gem of twentieth-century theoretical physics. In this room, you can see the Lax representation for the nonlinear Schrödinger equation, discovered by Zakharov and Shabat.

The nonlinear Schrödinger equation is one of the universal equations that is found everywhere, from water waves, nonlinear optics, plasma, to Bose-Einstein condensates.

The second area is the theory of wave collapses, a field to which he made significant contributions. Suffice it to mention his prediction of Langmuir collapse in plasma, which was confirmed, in particular, in experiments at the INP by Eduard Pavlovich Kruglyakov and his co-authors. This mechanism plays a significant role in plasma heating by electron beams and high-power microwave radiation.

In the third area, Zakharov obtained pioneering results on wave turbulence spectra, such as Kolmogorov-type solutions of nonlinear integral kinetic equations for waves using transformations known as Zakharov transformations. These nonequilibrium spectra are now called Kolmogorov-Zakharov spectra.

It's worth noting that Vladimir Evgenievich obtained many of his fundamental results in Novosibirsk, while working at the Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and simultaneously teaching at Novosibirsk State University. Teaching provided him with the impetus for his research. He mentored a large group of students, known worldwide as the Zakharov School.

Vladimir Evgenievich loved life in all its forms. His civic stance on many socially significant events, both during the Soviet and post-Soviet eras, is well known. It's worth noting that, alongside his academic pursuits, he also pursued poetry at the highest professional level. Suffice it to say, his poems were included in an anthology of 20th-century Russian poetry published by E.A. Yevtushenko.

He published a six-volume collection of his poetry, which is also his outstanding achievement in poetry. His scientific genius, combined with his human qualities and the breadth of his personality, earned him enormous authority and attracted young colleagues. He truly was an idol for several generations of scientists. He was a poet, and V. E. Zakharov's literary work seemed an inseparable part of his scientific pursuits…"

Vladimir Zakharov's students from abroad shared their memories of him online. Alexander Mikhailov, a doctor of physical and mathematical sciences and professor at the University of Leeds (UK), spoke about Vladimir Evgenievich's lectures.

"I remember his lectures on classical mechanics and relativity in my first year. I'll tell you a fascinating story. Physicists sometimes make mistakes when something doesn't add up in their calculations. And one time, Vladimir Evgenievich made one. After some time, he discovered it, looked at the students, and without the slightest embarrassment, mentioned it, suggesting they find it and then achieve the correct answer. In this way, he truly showed us how to find an error and correct it. So, in his lectures, he taught us not only his subject, but also how to admit our mistakes, overcome difficult situations, and keep moving forward," Alexander Mikhailov recounted.

Ildar Gabitov, a candidate of physical and mathematical sciences and professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Arizona (USA), who worked at the Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences together with Vladimir Zakharov and Aleksandrov Mikhailov, also expressed kind words about his teacher.

"Vladimir Evgenievich played a huge role in my life. Apparently, not everyone knows that, in addition to his contributions to science, he laid the foundation for modern high-speed telecommunications, which we all use. Its development essentially changed direction twice. Initially, there was a proposal to use solitons as bit carriers. Then the technology changed. So-called coherent methods of information transmission emerged, where the theory developed by Vladimir Evgenievich gained particular strength," he said.

 

Reference:

Vladimir Evgenievich Zakharov (August 1, 1939 – August 20, 2023) graduated from Novosibirsk State University in 1963. Soviet, Russian, and American theoretical physicist, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, chairman of the Scientific Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences on Nonlinear Dynamics, poet (since 2003, member of the Union of Russian Writers).

The author of seminal works on plasma physics, the theory of wave propagation in nonlinear media, including the ocean, and the nonlinear equations of mathematical physics. He found exact solutions to the kinetic equations of waves, known as Kolmogorov-Zakharov spectra. He predicted the collapse of Langrum waves in plasma and the existence of an inverse cascade in the theory of wave turbulence. He was one of the founders of the mathematical theory of solitons. He obtained important results in the general theory of relativity and classical differential geometry.

From 1974 to 2003, he worked at the L.D. Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics, heading the plasma physics department (1973-1992), and from 1993 to 2003, he directed the institute. Since 1992, he has taught at the University of Arizona (Tucson, USA), where in 2004 he was awarded the honorary title of Professor of the University Board. He was a member of the American Mathematical Society.

Laureate of the Petropol literary prize and the Viktor Rozov medal for his contribution to Russian culture. Author of several poetry collections.

Prizes and awards: USSR State Prize for research in plasma physics (1987); Order of Honor (1989); State Prize of the Russian Federation in Science and Technology for a series of works on soliton theory and the inverse scattering method (1993); Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" IV degree (1999), Dirac Medal (jointly with Robert Kraichnan) (2003); N.N. Bogolyubov Gold Medal (2019).

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The RAGU project, presented by the development team of the Applied Digital Technologies Laboratory International Scientific and Educational Mathematical Center of NSU, won the "Innovations in Artificial Intelligence" category of the "Code Without Borders" competition, held as part of the "Code Without Borders" grant program by GitVerse, Cloud.ru, and Habr. Over 200 applications from across the country were submitted, but the project by NSU researchers was recognized as the best. Its concept forms the basis of the "Menon" chatbot, which they are developing for NSU applicants. The RAGU software library was presented at the Datafest conference. A research paper on the library and its applications is currently planned. Ivan Bondarenko, a research fellow at the Laboratory of Applied Digital Technologies at the International Scientific and Educational Mathematical Center at NSU, spoke about the grant program and how his RAGU project became a winner.

RAGU (Retrieval-Augmented Graph Utility) is an open-source software library designed to integrate knowledge graphs with large-scale language models (LLMs), improving the accuracy and reliability of responses and reducing the risk of hallucinations. Its architecture is similar to the GraphRAG approach, but is based on the principle of "stepwise" knowledge graph construction: a multi-step process is used, with a pre-trained smaller model used for the first step, reducing resource requirements.

Ivan Bondarenko explained that the key to success lies in combining knowledge graphs and modern language models, which improves accuracy and reduces the risk of hallucinations in responses.

"The initial idea behind RAGU was to open access to tools for the efficient, synthesized operation of knowledge graphs and LLMs. Our open-source software library enables the integration of large language models with knowledge graphs to improve the accuracy, reliability, and reduce the hallucination of responses from large language models to user questions. We used a multi-step approach—we specifically retrained a generative neural network to be an effective tool for constructing a knowledge graph, and to do so in multiple steps rather than in a single step. This approach reduces hardware requirements and accelerates the process. With the original approach, efficient knowledge graph construction often required enormous language models (up to ~32 billion parameters). Our approach reduced the size to approximately 600 million parameters through retraining and a multi-step architecture, while maintaining or even improving the quality compared to traditional solutions within the GraphRAG methodology," the researcher explained.

The project attracted participants from various cities and universities across Russia, highlighting its nationwide reach. In addition to NSU students and staff, it included representatives from Lomonosov Moscow State University, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, MISIS University of Science and Technology, Far Eastern Federal University, and ITMO University: Ivan Bondarenko (NSU), Mikhail Komarov (NSU), Yana Dementyeva (NSU), Roman Shuvalov (NSU), Nikita Kukuzei (MSU), Ilya Myznikov (IKBFU), Alexander Kuleshevsky (MISIS), Stas Shtuka (FEFU), Matvey Soloviev (ITMO), and Fyodor Tikunov (NSU).

"We didn't come up with the concept itself. We borrowed the idea for the GraphRAG architecture from a Microsoft paper published a year ago. It turned out to be a good one, but we noticed a number of shortcomings: a very lengthy knowledge graph construction procedure and non-deterministic results. We were able to speed up the process and improve reliability using our approach. The architecture includes multi-step tuning and retraining of a smaller model, which allows us to reduce the model size and hardware requirements. The knowledge graph is built on nodes—named entities—and arcs—the relationships between them. This allows us to create a human-readable and reliable world graph, separated from the "black box" of a neural network," explained Ivan Bondarenko.

RAGU is already the basis for accelerating processes and demonstrates speed advantages over larger models. Ivan Bondarenko plans to write a scientific paper about the library and its application. This paper will be further developed and ported to the Menona engine within NSU.

Material prepared by: Elena Panfilo, NSU press service

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On December 12, 2025, the 19th International Academic Conference on "Current Issues of Parliamentarism: History and Modernity" was held at the Tauride Palace. The conference brought together a wide range of scholars, researchers, experts, and participants in legislative and parliamentary activities from many Russian cities—Moscow, St. Petersburg, Perm, Novosibirsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Yaroslavl—as well as from Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Azerbaijan. Novosibirsk State University was represented at the event by Igor Kravets, Doctor of Law, Professor, Head of the Department of Constitutional and Municipal Law, and Chief Research Fellow. Institute of Philosophy and Law of NSU.

The plenary session took place in the Duma hall, where the State Duma of the Russian Empire previously met at the beginning of the 20th century.

Traditionally, special attention at the Tauride Readings is given to six research and information blocks:

The article covers the history of the State Duma of the Russian Empire and its relationship with the State Council at the beginning of the 20th century; the electoral process in the regions of the Russian Empire during the elections of deputies to the State Duma; the work and role of the Congresses of People's Deputies of the USSR and the RSFSR at the end of the 20th century, when a two-tier legislative system was in effect, the USSR collapsed, and a new system of state and legal interaction in the post-Soviet space was being established; the experience of modern parliamentarism in the CIS and BRICS countries, including the procedure for organizing and holding elections, the digitalization of parliamentary activity, the interaction of parliaments with governments and civil society, and the development of international inter-parliamentary structures; the formation of parliamentary biographies based on the personal and professional experience of individual State Duma deputies, the procedure for interaction with government institutions and civil society; the role of archival, memoir, and journalistic sources in covering the parliamentary history of Russia.

Igor Kravets presented a paper on "Parliamentary Digital Platforms and the Future of Latin American Constitutionalism," exploring the prospects for using and developing digital platforms for interaction between parliamentarians, citizens, experts, and civil society institutions in legislative activities. The paper presented the results of two years of work that Igor Kravets has been leading as the project manager for a project supported by the Russian Science Foundation (RSF).No. 23-28-00627), – “Communicative constitutionalism and constitutional mobilization: the problem of deliberative participation in the public and information space and the transformation of the public authority system (concepts, norms and institutional mechanisms).

In preparing this report, we used original sources (translations from English, Spanish, and Portuguese) and materials collected during the monitoring of the websites of parliaments of individual Latin American states (Brazil, Chile), as well as the scientific works of Russian and Latin American authors.

"The study of new Latin American parliamentarism and constitutionalism is relevant in the context of comparison with the experiences of other BRICS countries, including Russia, China, South Africa, and Brazil. Expanding forms of citizen participation in parliamentary activities and constitutional amendments is not only an innovation in the subregion (Latin America), increasing the engagement and awareness of citizens and experts, but also an international trend in light of digitalization and constitutional and parliamentary inclusion," explained Igor Kravets.

Following his presentation, Igor Kravets proposed measures to improve the effectiveness of institutional and communications interactions between public authorities and citizens, on the one hand, and parliamentary institutions (federal, regional, and municipal levels) and the subjects of various legislative initiatives, on the other. These measures include:

Create a regulatory framework and technological solutions in the field of digital platforms (including crowdsourcing platforms) for interaction between citizens and deputies (at various levels) in the area of discussion and adoption of various regulatory legal acts through interactive discussion and voting.

Create e-citizenship and e-democracy platforms in representative institutions (at the federal, regional, and municipal levels) for the participation of citizens and lawmakers in the legislative and regulatory process in order to increase social responsibility, solidarity, and accountability of representative institutions in the area of legislative activity.

On the website of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly (in particular, the control committee), create an interactive portal for discussion with the participation of citizens and other interested parties (from the professional community, civil society institutions) of the results of the implementation of parliamentary control and parliamentary investigations.

Expand information accessibility for citizens and civil society institutions regarding the results of work on parliamentary and deputy inquiries (currently, such inquiries are posted on the website, but the results of their implementation are not available for review or participation in discussions).

"The Tauride Readings allow us to share the research findings of many Russian and international scholars, as well as the experiences of practicing deputies and parliamentary institutions. Within the walls of the Tauride Palace, the history and contemporary spirit of parliamentary institutions are preserved. Each visit offers a new perspective, revealing new facets of parliamentary life in Russia and abroad through the perspectives of those who have created and continue to create the history of parliamentarism in both domestic and comparative dimensions," Igor Kravets emphasized.

Next year, the 20th anniversary conference "Tavrichesky Readings" will take place, in which Igor Kravets also plans to participate.

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Doctor of Law, Professor, Head of the Department of Business Law, Civil and Arbitration Procedure Institute of Philosophy and Law of NSU Valery Nikolaevich Lisitsa was awarded the honorary title of "Honored Lawyer of the Novosibirsk Region".

The ceremony took place on December 10, 2025, as part of events celebrating Lawyer's Day in the Novosibirsk Region. Regional Governor Andrei Travnikov addressed the participants with a welcoming address, noting that the region's legal community is united and professional, and plays a vital role in developing the region's legal space. On this day, the best representatives of the profession were awarded honorary titles, certificates, and letters of gratitude from the governor.

The honorary title "Honored Lawyer of the Novosibirsk Region" is awarded to specialists with a higher legal education and at least 15 years of experience for significant contributions to strengthening the rule of law and order, the development of legal science and practice, and lawmaking and human rights activities.

For Valery Nikolaevich, this title was recognition of more than 25 years of professional activity.

"I view receiving this title as recognition of my achievements in the field of law, where I have been working for over 25 years since graduating from NSU. During this time, I have had the opportunity to engage not only in research and education but also in practical work in public administration," he noted.

Valery Lisitsa cites his postgraduate studies at the Institute of Philosophy and Law of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and his subsequent defense of his PhD dissertation, which determined his future path in science and education, as key stages in his professional biography. He also cites his work in the public sector, collaborating with public authorities on issues of socio-economic development and the formation of a unified legal space in Siberia.

The choice of a legal profession was largely dictated by time.

"It was the 1990s—a period of major reforms, when the country needed new legal and economic professionals. NSU opened an Economics and Law department at that time. I planned to be an economist, but ended up becoming a lawyer," says Valery Nikolaevich.

Today, his research interests focus on international and national legal regulation of investment and innovation activities, the application of international law in the Russian legal system, and the study of new digital objects. Among his significant research projects is a grant from the Russian Science Foundation, implemented jointly with colleagues, on the legal regime of digital and intellectual property rights.

The staff of Novosibirsk State University congratulates Valery Nikolaevich Lisitsa on receiving this honorary title and wishes him continued scientific success and new professional achievements.

The material was prepared by: Yulia Dankova, NSU press service

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A first-year master's student went on a working trip to Thailand. Humanities Institute of Novosibirsk State University Anastasia Maltseva, October 23 – November 7. During this time, the young researcher established academic contacts with representatives of Sinlapakon University, one of Thailand's leading public universities in the fields of arts, architecture, and archaeology. The student worked with materials on the history of Thai archaeology, studied the practices of international archaeological expeditions conducted in the country in the last century, and explored current issues of cultural heritage monitoring. Anastasia Maltseva visited four museums, seven archaeological sites, and four research centers. This trip to Thailand was supported by Russian Science Foundation grant No. 24-28-00003 "History of Pacific Archaeology."

It's worth noting that the archaeology of Thailand is a research interest of Anastasia Maltseva. Earlier this year, she successfully presented at an international conference on Thai studies in St. Petersburg, and in June, she brilliantly defended her thesis on this topic. The trip to Thailand marked a new stage in her development as a scholar. She embarked on the trip as a professional archaeologist to establish academic connections with colleagues from that country and to experience their work in practice. Anastasia Maltseva's academic supervisor is Andrei Tabarev, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Archaeology and Ethnography at the NSU Institute of Humanities.

A key part of my trip to Thailand was my exploration of archaeological sites from various eras—the Neolithic complex of Nong Ratchawat, which today functions as an archaeological museum and educational center, and the Dvaravati period sites of Phong Tok and Wat Phra Meru. I also went on an expedition to Khon Kaen Province, during which I explored rock art sites: Tham Chang Cave, Wat Tham Saeng Tham Cave (now a Buddhist temple), and Lai Thang Cave, which contains prehistoric paintings from the Neolithic period. I was also introduced to modern digital documentation methods: 3D imaging, photogrammetry, and drone photogrammetry, which are used in Thailand to document rock art and archaeological sites. Interacting with Thai archaeologists was also very important. "I got to know their work from the inside, which allowed me not only to gain a fresh perspective on professional nuances but also to immerse myself in the cultural characteristics of the country, its unique mentality and traditions," said Anastasia Maltseva.

During the trip, she met with Krengkrai Kirdsiri, Associate Professor and Vice Dean of the Faculty of Architecture at Sinlapakon University, a specialist in the architectural history of Southeast Asia, traditional architecture, cultural heritage management, and cultural tourism, and Thanik Lertchanrit, Professor of the Faculty of Archaeology at Sinlapakon University, a specialist in the prehistoric and early historical archaeology of Southeast Asia and cultural heritage management. Students from Sinlapakon University, Thailand's leading university in the fields of art, architecture, and archaeology, accompanied her on visits to museums and cultural centers. Anastasia Maltseva also met with participants of the joint Thai-Japanese project "Maritime Asia Heritage Survey," whose main goal is to create a database accessible to a wide audience of internet users.

From the first day of her assignment, Anastasia Maltseva began studying museum work and exhibition design. She visited Thailand's leading museums—the Museum of Siam, the National Museum of Bangkok, the Ban Khao Museum, the U-Thong Museum, and the Sirindhorn Anthropology Center.

"The Museum of Siam is a modern, interactive museum in the heart of Bangkok. It's primarily focused on creating and showcasing a national identity, but it also features an exhibition dedicated to Thailand's prehistoric archaeology, which is what caught my attention. A visit to the Bangkok National Museum was equally fascinating. It's the country's largest museum, housing the most extensive collection of Thai art and archaeological artifacts from antiquity to the present day. The prehistoric exhibits are displayed in four halls, and the museum itself is a series of buildings. Walking through its halls, visitors are transported from the Stone Age to the period of early kingdoms, and then to the history of Buddhism in Thailand," shared Anastasia Maltseva.

The researcher also visited museums and archeological sites in four provinces – Phetchhaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Kanchanaburi, Suphan Buri. Among these is the Bancao National Museum, founded in 1965 to collect, preserve and display prehistoric artifacts from archaeological sites at the Bancao archaeological site and other archaeological sites in Kanchanaburi Province. These excavations were carried out in these places during Thai-Danish expeditions in 1960 – 1962. In fact, it was at this place that Thai archeology was born, so a visit to this museum was especially important for Anastasia Maltseva. She also visited the Wu Tong National Museum. This is the main museum of Dvaravati archeology in central Thailand. It was founded in 1959. Wu Thong is considered one of the centers of the ancient “Suvrannabhumi” (Golden Land) and the most important early center of Buddhism in Southeast Asia. It was also important to get acquainted with the Nong Ratchawat monument – a Neolithic archaeological complex, which dates back to about 4000-3500 years ago. At this monument, archaeologists discovered more than 150 burials with rich grave goods. It is noteworthy that to date the monument has not yet been fully excavated and is in a state of conservation. It is possible that excavations will continue in the future, but for now a canopy and fencing have been installed over the area that has not yet been excavated. Archaeological finds that were made during the excavations that took place here are being studied in laboratories, so some of the artifacts in the exhibition – bones and clay vessels – have been replaced with replicas.

One of the highlights of Anastasia Maltseva's trip to Thailand was an expedition to Khon Kaen Province, which she embarked on with her Thai colleagues—participants in the project "Digital Archaeology: Using Advanced Technologies to Study and Record Prehistoric Rock Art Sites in Northeast Thailand, Base 1, Khon Kaen Province." This was the first trip under this project. The goal of the expedition was to digitally record Neolithic rock art sites dating back 2,000–4,000 years: Tham Chang, Wat Tham Saeng Tham, and Lai Thang. As Anastasia Maltseva noted, these sites have long been known to researchers, but until recently they had not been the subject of systematic study or properly documented.

The expedition participants had all the necessary modern equipment. They had several drones, a special station for receiving the coordinates they obtained, a 3D scanner, and various photographic equipment.

— First, we flew a drone overhead, which generated 3D models of the mountain, rock outcrop, or cave. Then, we used a 3D scanner to scan the cave from the inside and, using various photographic devices, recorded the rock carvings. The Tham Chang monument can rightfully be called sensational—it contains rock carvings of elephants, a rarity for Southeast Asia. Only two animals are clearly visible, but in reality, there are at least a dozen. Slightly to the right are anthropomorphic figures, barely visible to the naked eye—only their faint outlines. It is believed that these groups of images were not contemporaneous; the scenes are independent of each other and were painted at different times, indicating the popularity of this site, as people returned there repeatedly. Another monument, Wat Tham Saeng Tham, contains anthropomorphic figures that are also barely visible to the naked eye. They have been effectively erased, partly because this monument is currently part of a Buddhist temple. As part of a later monastic practice, part of the rock walls and ledges were covered with a layer of black pigment, which damaged and partially obscured the ancient images, said Anastasia Maltseva.

The road to the third Neolithic site, Lai Thaeng Cave, was challenging. Access was via a washed-out road in all-terrain vehicles, and then on foot through impenetrable jungle. An officer from the national park, in whose territory the cave is located, accompanied the archaeologists and cleared the way. A unique rock painting is located on a rock outcrop near the cave. Its main motif consists of anthropomorphic figures and animal images. Compositionally, the painting is divided into two parts: one composed of filled red figures, the other of black outlines, which are also from different periods. What makes this site unique is the fact that the images from different chronological periods are distinctly differentiated by color: the earlier motifs are executed in red pigment, while the later ones are painted in black. This differs from common practice, in which even drawings from different periods are usually created with the same pigment and often overlap.

Anastasia Maltseva noted a distinctive feature of Southeast Asian rock art: almost all the drawings are found only on rocky outcrops, not inside caves, as, for example, in Europe. No traces of ancient human activity have been found in the caves of Southeast Asia. Artifacts indicating human presence are absent. Therefore, the caves were uninhabited, and people came to them for one purpose—to leave rock art at the entrances.

"My trip to Thailand was a truly unique experience, not only for me. It was important for the development of Thai-Russian relations and cooperation in archaeology. I hope this trip will lay the foundation for further collaboration and lead to the implementation of new joint projects and the achievement of important scientific results," added Anastasia Maltseva.

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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A second-year Master's student from the Department of Physics and Engineering Computer Science developed software for the synchronization system and detector of the experimental station at the synchrotron radiation source.Faculty of Physics of Novosibirsk State University Maria Yartseva. These devices will be installed at one of the stations of the Siberian Ring Photon Source (SKIF). She conducted her work as part of a research team at the Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics SB RAS laboratory, which specializes in developing detectors for experiments using synchrotron radiation. The scientific supervision was provided by Lev Shekhtman, Chief Researcher at the INP SB RAS and Doctor of Physics and Mathematics, and Vasily Kudryavtsev, Researcher at the INP SB RAS. This work was carried out as part of the strategic technology project "Center for the Integration of Personalized Biomedicine, Pharmacy, and Synchrotron and Binary Technologies." Priority 2030 program.

"My task was to create specialized software for the direct photon counting detector, which would allow for control of the device—taking data, configuring and calibrating it—as well as for the synchronization unit—to generate control signals depending on events occurring during the experiment at the station," said Maria Yartseva.

User programs were developed in C using the Qt framework in the Qt Creator development environment, and the FPGA code was developed using SystemVerilog in the Quartus Prime environment. The ModelSim simulation environment was used to debug the developed modules. All programs were developed under the Linux operating system.

The SciCODE single-axis semiconductor direct photon counting detector has no Russian equivalent. It was developed to replace the OD-3M gas detector, developed at the INP SB RAS in the late 1990s. The new device features faster response times and high spatial resolution and is designed for research using diffraction methods. Similar detectors are available from Switzerland, but the SciCODE direct photon counting detector differs from them in its ability to more accurately measure photon energy.

In addition to this detector, a whole line of detectors is currently being developed at the INP SB RAS, which will also be used at one of the SKIF stations. Individual parts and modules of the code have already been written or borrowed from existing detector software previously developed by INP SB RAS researchers.

"The SciCODE single-coordinate direct photon counting detector is a highly versatile development. It can be used to study physical processes and chemical reactions using diffraction methods, for example, in pharmaceutical development experiments or in studying the behavior of complex molecules. The detector consists of a semiconductor sensor based on silicon or gallium arsenide. It is mounted on a recording board, which was also developed at the INP SB RAS. Data obtained during experiments is recorded by specialized chips. These chips are controlled by a programmable logic integrated circuit (FPGA) installed on the control board, and data is exchanged with a computer via an Ethernet interface," explained Maria Yartseva.

The software prototype for this detector is currently undergoing refinement of certain functionality and is undergoing laboratory testing.

The synchronization unit will be installed at the same SKIF station as the detectors. It will coordinate the operation of SKIF, the station, and the recording devices. Its manufacture and installation are complete. The device has been tested under experimental conditions at the experimental station at the Siberian Synchrotron and Terahertz Radiation Center of the INP SB RAS.

"The main work is complete; further development of this project involves creating a unified system that would control both the synchronization unit and the detector system during experiments. The synchronization unit also includes a board with an FPGA, and interaction with the software is provided in the same way as with the detectors. This device can be installed at any research station where synchronization of multiple devices is required," said Maria Yartseva.

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Source: Novosibirsk State University –

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A Gazprom Neft delegation conducted a working visit to Novosibirsk State University (NSU) as part of the strategic cooperation agreement between the company, NSU, and the Novosibirsk Region Government. Key topics on the agenda included the practical implementation of flagship scientific and technical projects and the expanded participation of the region's scientific and educational complex in the company's technological development. Specifically, the discussion focused on the use of the SKIF synchrotron radiation source to develop technologies for extracting hard-to-recover hydrocarbon reserves, as well as the development of mechanisms at NSU to engage the region's scientific potential in Gazprom Neft projects.

The industrial partner was represented at the working meeting by Alexander Sitnikov, Digital Transformation Advisor at Gazprom Neft; Alexey Pustovskikh, Product Strategy Director at Nedra Digital; and Marina Anisimova, Deputy General Director for Procurement at Gazprom Neft's Scientific and Technical Division. The university was represented by Mikhail Fedoruk, Rector of NSU; Dmitry Churkin, Vice Rector for Research at NSU; and Sergey Golovin, Director of the Gazpromneft-NSU Scientific and Educational Center and Director of the NSU Advanced Engineering School.

During the visit, the company delegation toured NSU's key scientific and educational infrastructure, including the university's new campus, the NSU Advanced Engineering School, and the Small Spacecraft Digital Factory. They also visited the Institute of Hydrodynamics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The visit included a visit to AkademPark and the SKIF synchrotron radiation source construction site. The partners also discussed the development of NSU's specialized educational programs in oil and gas technology, continuing professional education programs, and projects to provide scientific and engineering career guidance to schoolchildren to develop the industry's future talent pool.

A separate working meeting was held with Novosibirsk Region Governor Andrey Travnikov, which confirmed continued support for the implementation of the partnership development strategy and the role of the Gazpromneft-NSU Scientific and Educational Center as a project office and key channel of interaction with Gazprom Neft. The parties agreed on measures to leverage federal and regional support for scientific and technical projects implemented with the participation of the NSU Advanced Engineering School, as well as to develop engineering education and career guidance for schoolchildren in the region.

Reference:

A strategic cooperation agreement between Gazprom Neft, NSU, and the Novosibirsk Region was signed in August 2025 at the Technoprom-2025 international technological development forum. The approved strategy provides for a coordinated development program in three key areas: prioritizing scientific and technical activities for the oil and gas industry; developing systemic tools for interaction between scientific and industrial organizations in the Novosibirsk Region and PJSC Gazprom Neft; and advancing NSU's educational policy in oil and gas technology, including through the Advanced Engineering School.

NSU is a member of the Gazprom Neft University League, a system for interaction between the company and higher education institutions in Russia and other countries. This system facilitates the exchange of scientific and educational information between participants through a single-window system. This cooperation facilitates the creation of new faculties, graduate programs, and laboratories, and stimulates the launch of joint research and grant programs. The League comprises 48 higher education institutions, including representatives from Russia and three universities from China, India, and the UAE.

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Source: Novosibirsk State University –

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IN scientific and educational center "Evolution of the Earth" Novosibirsk State University has a new exhibit simulating crystal formation in a laboratory setting. Designed in a steampunk style, it is controlled via a mobile app. The new exhibit, specially designed for NSU, is the only one of its kind in Russia. It was developed and manufactured with the support of the Priority 2030 strategic academic leadership program.

"The idea to create such an exhibit arose a couple of years ago. The museum previously had a prototype. It was open, and the tour guide had to manually insert the marbles into the octahedron, and the marbles often disappeared after the tours. So we decided to improve on this idea," said Olga Khokhryakova, a research fellow at the Evolution of the Earth Scientific and Educational Center.

The staff at the "Evolution of the Earth" Scientific and Educational Center developed the general design and concept for the device, and created the first visualization using artificial intelligence. They then handed over their work to modeler and engineer Dmitry Kamenev.

"I've long had the idea of creating a steampunk-style installation. I spoke with the engineers who developed our exhibit, and they liked the idea. They approached the project with enthusiasm and even humor: if you look closely at the exhibit, you can see plaques that reference the works of the Strugatsky brothers and the novel 'The Twelve Chairs.' The team began work on our project in June 2025 and completed it in November," said Alexander Igolnikov, head of the Evolution of the Earth Scientific and Educational Center, sharing the story behind the exhibit's creation.

The museum staff meticulously designed the exhibit down to the smallest detail. Its shape and appearance resemble an autoclave for synthesizing and growing crystals in a laboratory setting. The device's interior simulates the natural processes that lead to mineral formation. For example, it houses a lava lamp, symbolizing the molten matter entering the "crystallizer." Warm light and characteristic gurgling sounds visually convey its operation, while special "sensors" display changes in temperature and pressure. A unique feature of the exhibit is its control via a dedicated app. Guides can adjust the light, sound, and even voices. For example, the crystallizer can play excerpts from speeches by such eminent scientists as Mikhail Lavrentyev and Albert Einstein.

The new exhibit clearly demonstrates the arrangement of atoms in a crystal lattice. It works like this: the structure resembles an hourglass, the main part of which is a hemioctahedron, a four-sided pyramid made of plexiglass. One of the hemioctahedra contains balls. When the guide turns the exhibit's handle, the hemioctahedron containing the balls rotates 180 degrees. As a result, the balls spill over and fill the second hemioctahedron, completely occupying its volume. The balls are arranged in a strictly regular pattern, not a chaotic one.

Each crystal and each mineral has its own unique "pattern" of particle arrangement. Atoms in reality, of course, are not spherical and can vary from one another, but in this exhibit, they are represented as spheres for clarity. The process can be repeated an infinite number of times, and each time the spheres are arranged in a strictly defined pattern, corresponding to the arrangement of atoms in the crystal lattice.

"Certain difficulties arose during the work on the exhibit. The beads that were supposed to flow into the hemioctahedron proved too heavy, so the structure had to be further reinforced. It was later discovered that when our 'hourglass' was turned over, the beads would clog the passage. To solve this problem, motors were added to stir the beads and prevent them from getting stuck. In fact, exactly the same thing happens in nature. If a solution isn't stirred, at some point the supply of material available to the growing crystal is exhausted, and growth stops. A simple example is sugar in tea: if you don't stir it, it won't dissolve completely. Exactly the same processes occur in mineral-forming environments," explained Olga Khokhryakova.

The new exhibit is located in Hall 2, "Earth Composition and Deep Processes," at the "Earth Evolution" Research and Education Center. It complements a display case showing the structure of crystal lattices in various minerals. Anyone interested can see the new exhibit for themselves by scheduling a tour by calling 7 383 363-42-25.

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.