Category: Университетская жизнь /

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Novosibirsk State University –

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The competition counts toward the Spartakiad among faculties, institutes, the Specialized Scientific Center, and the Higher Institute of Culture (VKI) and was held using the Olympic system. Pairs were determined by drawing lots and taking into account the previous year's results. The losers were immediately eliminated, while the winners advanced to the next round and then to the semifinals.

In the final, the places were distributed as follows:

1st place — Faculty of Physics: Daria Kiryanova, Elizaveta Karlova, Elizaveta Kirchanova, Alexandra Kopysova, Daria Litvinova, Alena Mikhailova, Daria Lisyutenko and Alisa Ilinykh.

2nd place — Institute of Philosophy and Law: Sofia Volkova, Maria Dukhina, Alena Zagorodnikova, Sofia Kolmagorova, Polina Krivoshey, Ekaterina Petrova, Lada Sizova, Valeria Sitnikova and Daria Stepanova.

3rd place — Faculty of Economics: Anna Remus, Anastasia Turaeva, Darima Bayartueva, Daria Efimova, Sofia Nechaeva, Svetlana Ushakova, Ksenia Rekunova, Maria Kuminova, Sofia Rodenko and Elizaveta Karshakevich.

The Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics took 4th place. From there, places were determined by goal difference.

We congratulate the winners and wish the Physics Department team good luck and success at the upcoming Faculty Festival among universities in the Novosibirsk Region!

We thank KafFV teachers Svetlana and Vladimir Krylov for the excellent organization of the tournament.

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.

Faculty and students of the Department of Solid State Chemistry Faculty of Natural Sciences (FNS) of NSU participated in the International University of California, Santa Cruz, High Pressure Workshop on High-Pressure Crystallography (IUCr High Pressure Workshop). The workshop was held in Shanghai, China, from September 21 to 26.

The seminar program included presentations on various areas of high-pressure crystallography: from geological research and the analysis of superconducting materials to technical aspects such as the design of synchrotron and neutron stations. The event brought together high-pressure crystallography specialists from around the world, with 169 participants. A competition was held among the young scientists' submissions.

Elena Boldyreva, Professor of the Department of Solid State Chemistry at the NSU Department of Natural Sciences, presented an invited talk online. Poster presentations were presented by Nikita Bogdanov, Senior Lecturer in the Department; Svetlana Sharaya and Polina Kalinina, PhD students; and Grigory Zhdankin, Master's student at the Moscow Institute of Physical Chemistry and Physics. Nikita Bogdanov and Polina Kalinina's work was awarded prizes for the best work in the Young Scientists Competition and for the best talk. The talks presented research results, including those from Russian Science Foundation projects being implemented at NSU: "The Relationship Between Crystal Structure and Photoisomerization of Cobalt Pentaammine with Various Anions" (No. 24-22-00293) and "Structural Aspects of Ferroelectric and Piezoelectric Phase Transitions in Organic Crystals under High Pressure and Low Temperature Conditions" (No. 24-23-00410).

The conference included a tour of the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, where participants were able to see the experimental stations designed for studying substances under high pressure. They also visited the HPSTAR Center for Advanced High-Pressure Science and Technology.

The participant shared their impressions:

Grigory Zhdankin, a second-year student of the master's program "Methodological Support for Physicochemical Studies of Condensed Phases" at the Department of Chemical Technology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, NSU:

I really enjoyed the diversity of the oral and poster presentations at the conference: from projects for synchrotron radiation stations designed to study substances under extreme conditions to research in mineralogy and the synthesis of new substances at high pressures (over two million atmospheres). I had the opportunity to interact in person with a large number of interesting people whom I had previously only known through their articles. This gave me a huge boost of motivation to continue my scientific work.

Shanghai itself turned out to be quite an interesting city for tourism. Between listening to presentations, we managed to visit several interesting places: Yuyuan Garden, the Shanghai Aquarium, Nanjing Road, and People's Square.

Polina Kalinina, first-year PhD student at the Faculty of Natural Sciences:

It was fascinating to interact with various scientists, both leading experts in high-pressure crystallography and emerging young researchers. It was also helpful to see firsthand how high pressures are applied in various fields of research—it broadens your horizons and inspires new research beyond your own. For example, I was particularly interested in the work investigating the composition of the Earth's mantle, as well as the work aimed at producing hexagonal diamond—lonsdaleite. It was gratifying to see the conference participants' interest in my work and that of my colleagues; there were many positive wishes and encouragement. I am very motivated when my work is interesting to people who are seeing it for the first time.

Svetlana Sharaya, 3rd year PhD student at the Faculty of Natural Sciences:

A huge number of presentations at the conference were devoted to synchrotron topics and the use of synchrotron radiation for high-pressure crystallography research. It was very interesting to hear the experiences of colleagues from China and other countries in setting up stations and conducting experiments using synchrotron radiation. This was useful for us, as the knowledge gained can be applied at the SKIF facility currently under construction in Koltsovo.

Furthermore, the conference featured presentations that weren't directly related to crystal study methods, but focused on the fundamentals of mathematical crystallography. This was useful for me as a budding scientist. I particularly remember the presentation on predicting crystal symmetry before and after a phase transition, taking into account the structure and properties based on group theory.

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.

The permanent exhibition "Mesozoic: Continental Flora and Fauna" has been expanded with a new display case featuring specimens of Cretaceous lake fauna—remains of bony fish, insects, and crustaceans. These specimens were collected by staff from the "Evolution of the Earth" Scientific and Educational Center. Faculty of Geology and Geophysics of Novosibirsk State University and the A.A. Trofimuk Institute of Petroleum Geology and Geophysics (IPGG) of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences during expeditions to the Trans-Baikal Territory. The exhibition also includes finds from China, provided by Igor Kosenko, Associate Professor of the Department of Historical Geology and Paleontology at NSU's GGG. The uniqueness of all the specimens lies in their excellent preservation—the structure of these prehistoric creatures can be seen in exquisite detail, even with the naked eye.

The new display case presents animals belonging to the Jehol fauna. These are the fossil remains of feathered dinosaurs, birds, mammals, and plants, found in large numbers in the Lower Cretaceous deposits of northeastern China. Such localities are called lagerstätten. This is a special type of fossil burial that preserves not only the hard parts of skeletal forms but also impressions of soft tissue. Lower Cretaceous deposits containing the remains of the Jehol biota are very widespread—from Transbaikalia, Russia, in the north and Japan in the east, to Guangdong Province, China, in the south and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China. Deposits characterized by typical representatives of the Jehol biota are widespread in Transbaikalia. These include the remains of crustaceans (Eosestheria conchostracans), insects (Ephemeropsis mayfly larvae), and bony fishes (Lycoptera). All of these prehistoric lake animals are on display in a new display case, said Vsevolod Efremenko, an engineer at the Evolution of the Earth Research Center and a junior researcher at the Institute of Petroleum Geology and Geophysics (IPGG SB RAS).

The Jehol Biota is a distinct lake fauna and flora characteristic of Asia. It encompasses China, Mongolia, the Transbaikal Territory, and parts of Korea. This fauna has been known for some time and was first described from finds made in the Transbaikal Territory. However, it gained notoriety and its current name after the discovery of feathered dinosaur footprints in China. Scientists from the Novosibirsk State University Geological and Geophysical Institute and the Institute of Petroleum Geology and Geophysics (IPGG SB RAS) have been studying the Jehol Biota in the Transbaikal Territory since 2021. An expeditionary team for paleontological research in the Transbaikal Territory was formed four times—in 2021, 2022, 2024, and 2025. The materials presented in the exhibition were collected during the 2021 and 2024 expeditions. A new expedition is planned for 2026.

The new display case features specimens of Jehol lake fauna from Transbaikal and China. The most striking, of course, are the fish. Among them is an ancient paddlefish—a sturgeon-like fish called Protopsephurus, which appeared in the Mesozoic era and spread across the planet. Also on display is a remarkably well-preserved bony fish called Lycoptera, quite common in the Mesozoic era. The specimen clearly displays scales that have retained their original position. For this reason, even the lateral line—a sensory organ that runs along the body—is visible on the fish's body. It senses the movement and vibrations of the water, helping the fish navigate, navigate obstacles, move in a school, and avoid predators.

Fishes of the genus Lycoptera were widespread across Asia approximately 120 million years ago, and paleontologists encounter such finds quite frequently. However, many specimens often have scales that are displaced and the lateral line is destroyed. Here, however, it is clearly visible. This means that the scales remained in place from the moment of death until burial, and the fish itself was preserved in ideal conditions. Thanks to these conditions, another specimen was also perfectly preserved—the largest fish skeleton on display. This is an Irenichthys, with a body length of approximately 15-18 cm. This is the largest complete skeleton of this species we have found—these fish typically do not grow to such a size. All the bones of the skeleton and scales are clearly visible, and the structure of the skull is clearly visible. A detailed description of the entire species could be compiled from this specimen. This specimen, like the previous one, was preserved in ideal conditions, which is why it is so beautifully preserved. But other fish of the same species, whose imprints are on display, were less fortunate—they are slightly deformed, their scales damaged. "It's likely that optimal conditions were periodically disrupted in the places where they were preserved," explained Vsevolod Efremenko.

In addition to Cretaceous fish, the exhibition also features crustaceans and insects: shield bugs, mayfly larvae, and beetles. They are as well preserved as the fish—all body segments, legs, tiny claws of small crustaceans, and antennae are clearly visible. Some insects even retain egg clutches and the internal structure of their bodies. A magnifying glass is sufficient to fully appreciate such fine details, but they are also visible to the naked eye. The silhouettes of mayflies with their triple tails are slightly less distinct on the stone slabs. On some specimens, the outlines of small fish can be seen among the numerous crustaceans.

— Locations where creatures that lived for tens or hundreds of millions of years have been preserved in ideal conditions and in wide diversity are called lagerstätt. For paleontologists, these are real treasure troves. There are several of them in Transbaikalia, and we worked at these locations. It should be noted that the lakes themselves are no longer preserved; we are working with the fossilized sediments of these paleolakes. In one such ancient reservoir, a large variety of fish was preserved in abundance, while in another, for some reason, they were not found, but many shieldfish and insects were found. To ensure such preservation for living beings and “preserve” them for many tens of millions of years, a number of conditions must be met. The animal must end up on the muddy bottom of the reservoir in an oxygen-free environment. An important condition is the absence of predators or scavengers who would eat the remains of a dead animal. In these places there should be no currents or other hydrodynamics that could disrupt the integrity of the remains. In addition, they should be gradually covered with sediment to protect them from adverse environmental influences. It is in such places that today one can study the ecology, paleobiology, food chains, and lifestyle of the lake inhabitants of the Mesozoic. Lagerstätts are also valuable because such unique specimens, which are presented in our exhibition, can be found by paleontologists without much difficulty, whereas at ordinary excavation sites the search for ancient creatures is a rather labor-intensive, lengthy task and does not guarantee success. The number of exhibits on our new showcase will be replenished, as we plan to continue to participate in excavations in the Transbaikal region,” said Vsevolod Efremenko.

The exhibition dedicated to the continental flora and fauna of the Mesozoic was recently supplemented by an installation of fragments of fossilized tree trunks. It aims to reflect the Mesozoic era as the kingdom of gymnosperms, which then reached its peak of biodiversity and distribution. Modern conifers are a well-known example of such plants. However, by the mid-Cretaceous, the first flowering plants appeared, which, by geological standards, began to displace their competitors quite quickly. Therefore, the diet of herbivorous dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous was already radically different from that of their Jurassic predecessors.

"When assembling the installation, we used more ancient, late Paleozoic fragments of fossilized cordaite trunks (Cordaitales) from Kuzbass, approximately 300 million years old, as the Evolution of the Earth Research Center has accumulated a large number of similar specimens, collected over the years by staff from the Geological and Geophysical Faculty of NSU. Cordaites are also gymnosperms, specifically primitive conifers. These were mighty trees, as tall as modern pines and cedars, but with large, lanceolate leaves that were shed seasonally," explained Alexander Igolnikov, head of the Evolution of the Earth Research Center.

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.