“Nuclear physics is at the forefront of cutting-edge technology. It is utilized in scientific discoveries to understand the origins of the universe and to overcome cancer.”
Professor Karlheinz Langanke of the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung in Germany attended a press conference on the 26th at the Daejeon Convention Center (DCC) for the 29th International Nuclear Physics Conference (INPC 2025), where he noted, “Facilities such as accelerators for nuclear physics research are being established worldwide,” adding, “This is a competition to explore the unknown.”
The International Nuclear Physics Conference is the most prestigious academic conference in the field of nuclear physics and is held every three years. This year, it was hosted in Korea for the first time, making it the second such event in Asia following Japan in 2007. More than 800 nuclear physics experts from over 50 countries around the world attended this conference. Professor Langanke delivered a keynote speech on the latest research trends in nuclear physics under the theme 'Nuclear Physics – The Force That Moves the Universe.'
Professor Langanke stated, “Nuclear physics is expanding the boundaries of knowledge,” explaining that it involves the study of atomic nuclei using high-energy proton accelerators and research on the decay of rare protons to search for the origins of the universe.
The basic unit of matter, the atom, is composed of protons, neutrons, and electrons. At the center of the atom, positively charged protons and neutral neutrons come together to form the atomic nucleus, while negatively charged electrons orbit around it. The atomic number corresponds to the number of protons. Isotopes, frequently discussed in nuclear physics, refer to instances where the number of protons is the same, but the number of neutrons differs.
According to Professor Langanke, nuclear physics can examine the conditions under which the universe was born in the Big Bang. Accelerators apply electric fields to accelerate charged electrons or protons and collide them. Synchrotron light sources accelerate electrons to produce X-rays, allowing examination of the interiors of materials.
Proton accelerators achieve a Big Bang state by colliding protons head-on within atomic nuclei. They observe the particles that emerge as protons split from the collisions. It is believed that such particles were also formed during the Big Bang.
Accelerators are applied not only in fundamental science but also in medicine. Professor Langanke explained, “By quickly accelerating carbon, a type of heavy ion, and targeting the brain, tumors can be destroyed, increasing the survival rates of cancer patients. Radioactive isotopes can also be utilized for diagnosing thyroid cancer.”
Heavy ions refer to all elements heavier than hydrogen and helium, which are atomic numbers 1 and 2, that have transformed into an electrically charged state. The Raon, a Korean heavy ion accelerator, can create new rare isotopes that do not exist in nature by colliding heavy ions with other materials.
Hong Seung-woo, director of the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) Heavy Ion Accelerator Research Center, stated at the press conference, “The actinium-225 isotope has already succeeded in curing terminal cancer patients,” and added, “In the future, new isotopes produced with heavy ion accelerators could treat a wider variety of cancers.”
Actinium-225 is a radioactive isotope that emits alpha particles. It is primarily used as a radiopharmaceutical (RPT) for treating diseases using radiation released in the form of alpha particles.
Experts attending the press conference unanimously emphasized that active investment in nuclear physics research is crucial. Professor Langanke noted, “There are cases where the importance of nuclear physics is not fully recognized,” and he added, “Heavy ion accelerators like Raon can also create many jobs.”
He mentioned, “There is even an accelerator beneath the Louvre Museum in France, which can be used to research masterpieces or determine when the tomb of an Egyptian pharaoh was built.” Director Hong Seung-woo further explained, “If we secure an additional budget of about 10 billion to 15 billion won, production of actinium isotopes at Raon will be possible,” and noted, “Durability tests of semiconductors used in satellites can also be conducted using accelerators.”
IBS disclosed some of its plans for operating the Raon heavy ion accelerator in Daejeon. It initiated the construction of Raon in 2011 and completed part of the work in 2021. IBS has been conducting trial operations of Raon since May of last year.
Director Hong stated, “Currently, we are in the process of verifying whether Raon operates as designed,” and added, “After going through a process to confirm whether it can be used for commercial tests for about one to two years, it can then be utilized for verifying space semiconductors.”