In the next exciting episode of the «Faces of Science»
program, you will be able to meet Dr. Kylyshbek Turlybekuly, a Kazakhstani
scientist with a very bold idea, namely, the creation of the world's largest
source of ultracold neutrons. These special particles can be incredibly tiny,
but surprisingly, they hold the key to answering some of the most important
questions of science and the universe - what happened immediately after the Big
Bang and how the universe really works?
This groundbreaking project contains a Kazakhstani
water-to-water reactor at its center, which is located in the peaceful village
of Alatau near Almaty. You might wonder - What is a water-to–water reactor?
This is a type of nuclear reactor that uses ordinary water, firstly, to cool
the reactor, and secondly, to slow down the neutrons produced during nuclear
reactions. Slowing down neutrons is really important, as they are safer to work
with and are extremely useful for scientific research. This reactor, which
already produces important materials for medicine and industry, will now power
a unique facility capable of generating ultracold neutrons, particles that move
so slowly that they can be studied in great detail.
To make this possible, Dr. Turlybekuly and his team combine
advanced cooling technology (cryogenics) with precision physics. They create a
temperature close to absolute zero - about -272°C - so that the neutrons can
slow down to a minimum. At these speeds, scientists can observe their behavior
up close, revealing the secrets of our universe and possibly changing what we
know about the laws of physics.
But science is only half the story. Dr. Turlybekula's
journey began not in the laboratory, but with a love of detective novels. He
was fascinated by puzzles and mysteries, and now applies the same curiosity and
determination to solving nature's greatest mysteries. His project is supported
by the government of Kazakhstan and international experts, which is why it is
able to bring the country to the forefront of world science and, possibly, even
lead to the award of the Nobel Prize.
Don't miss this fascinating look at minds and machines
pushing the boundaries of knowledge! From Alatau to the edge of the universe,
this is science in all its ambition and humanity.
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