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This extraordinary element is helium-3, a rare isotope of the noble gas Helium, with 2 protons and 1 neutron instead of the common 2 protons and 2 neutrons. In the realm of nuclear physics, helium-3 stands as a pivotal isotope for enabling...Recently, China's lunar mission, Chang'e 5, deployed on the lunar surface, has uncovered a new crystal containing helium-3. China has named this crystal Changesite—(Y). The CNMNC (Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification) under IMA, the International Mineralogical Association, has also confirmed it as a new mineral last Friday.The cover image may imply a large crystal, but it's actually captured under a microscope, with a cross-section smaller than a human hair. This represents only a tiny fraction of the lunar samples brought back by China's spacecraft. The Chang'e 5 mission occurred from November 23, 2020, landing on the moon on December 1, 2020. The unmanned spacecraft then collected about 1,731 grams of lunar samples before returning to Earth on December 16, 2020.
Changesite—(Y) is the sixth entirely new mineral discovered on the moon by humans, with Russia and the United States previously being the only countries to find minerals absent or undiscovered on Earth. The area where Changesite—(Y) was discovered lies in the northern part of the moon, where volcanic activity occurred 1.2 billion years ago.According to Chinese media, this mineral contains helium-3, the crucial fuel source to turn the dream of creating fusion reactors into reality. Currently, most nuclear power plants utilize fission reactions, where radioactive isotopes of elements like Uranium, Plutonium, or Americium undergo decay cycles, thereby generating thermal energy.
Contrarily, nuclear fusion reactions operate in the opposite polarity. Two nuclei merge, creating a heavier nucleus and also generating thermal energy. This 'dream' energy source has yet to materialize for one solitary reason: scientists have not yet harnessed the temperature and pressure required to conduct fusion reactions effectively, and to prevent energy wastage from the reactions.However, speaking of advantages, nuclear fusion reactions are also referred to as 'clean nuclear energy,' as they do not emit dangerous radiation beams to living organisms, do not pollute the environment, and even serve as an almost infinite energy source, as fossil fuels are gradually depleting.According to Vice
