1. far-off places — отдаленные районы

2. Something like that — или около этого

3. So are most metals — а также и большинство металлов

DUBNA, THE CITY OF SCIENCE (to be read after Lesson 18)

If you travel up the Moscow Canal slightly over a 100 kilometres from the Soviet capital, you will see a row of white buildings on the right bank of the Volga, which have risen on the woody banks of the mighty Russian river.

Dubna, the young scientific research centre, appeared on geographical maps in 1956 and is named after the small but very picturesque river which flows into the Volga. Since 1956 Dubna has been the site of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research,¹ an international scientific centre of the socialist countries. "Atoms for Peace" is the motto of the scientists working here.

To reveal the mysteries of the microworld today one needs giant accelerators and atomic reactors, extremely complex experimental apparatus, high-speed electronic computers, huge power reserves and hundreds and thou­sands of physicists and engineers. Therefore the joint efforts of scientists from many countries are especially important today.

The Charter of the Institute thus defines its basic purposes: "to ensure joint theoretical and experimental research in nuclear physics by scientists of the member-countries;

to promote the development of nuclear physics in the member-countries through the exchange of experience and achievements in theoretical and experimental re­search;

to maintain ties with the national and international research and look for new possibilities for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy;

to promote the all-round development of the creative abilities of the researchers of the member-countries."

The institute consists of laboratories. The laboratories at Dubna are in effect ² large modern institutes with their own research projects and with the number of researchers ranging from several hundreds to one thousand. Most laboratories are famous throughout the world.

Scientists at Dubna Institute are developing the theory of fundamental particles and nuclear physics, study nuclear properties using neutron beams from a pulse reactor, carry out research into the field of molecular biology.

The further development of complex neutron reactors

will enable the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research to maintain its priority as the world's leading centre of neutron physics for the solution of fundamental and applied problems.

The growth of the beam intensity of the phasotron will extend the research into radioactive isotopes, medico-biological programmes and works on muonic catalyst— an important trend for the power engineering of the future based он a synthesis of the nuclei of hydrogen isotopes.

It is. on these and many other topical problems of modern physics that the attention of Dubna scientists is focused.

When you see the long row of beautiful buildings on the right bank of the Volga, remember that Dubna acceler­ators, reactors and computers work day and night, that rts scientists are revealing the secrets of Nature to put the energy of the atomic nucleus at the service of mankind.

Notes