Scientists at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have achieved a big breakthrough in neutron research. They ran a neutron production system for 1,250 hours using a 1.7-megawatt proton beam.

This feat was accomplished using Spallation Neutron Source (SNS), a powerful research facility that uses short proton pulses to target steel-based material comprising liquid mercury. This interaction results in the creation of intense neutron beams.