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International Team Analyzes the Universe's First Light at South Pole Telescope

ORNL Entanglement Study Connects Quantum Essentials on New Chip

Quantum information scientists at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory successfully demonstrated a device that combines key quantum photonic capabilities on a single chip for the first time.The study published in Optica Quantum focused on a type of quantum computing that relies on light particles, or photons, to build qubits and to store and transmit information.

New Nanoscale Technique Unlocks Quantum Material Secrets

Using a novel surface-sensitive spectroscopy method, scientists explored atomic vibrations in crystalline material surfaces near interfaces. The findings illuminate quantum behaviors that play important roles computing and sensing technologies.

Researchers Record Ultrafast Chorus Dance of Electrons on Super-Small Particle

It may be the smallest, shortest chorus dance ever recorded. Researchers observed how electrons, excited by ultrafast light pulses, danced in unison around a particle less than a nanometer in diameter. As reported in Science Advances, this is the first measurement of its kind and will enable researchers to evaluate electron dynamics in a new range of super-small particles, valued for their ability to trap and manipulate light.

Selective Combustion Provides Energy-Efficient Alternative to Remove Pollutants From Industrial Processes

For the first time, researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities discovered a new method by which a catalyst can be used to selectively burn one molecule in a mixture of hydrocarbons, which are compounds made of hydrogen and carbon atoms.

Mini Flow Battery Speeds Energy Storage Research

Mini flow cell battery provides the first step toward an AI-driven, robotic energy storage discovery laboratory.

Innovative Target Design Leads to Surprising Discovery in Laser-Plasma Acceleration

Scientists have developed a groundbreaking method for generating fast, bright proton beams using a high-repetition-rate laser-plasma accelerator. This work, published in Nature Communications, resolves several long-standing challenges and ushers this technology to the threshold of real-world applications - all thanks to a stream of water.

From Photons to Protons: Argonne Team Makes Breakthrough in High-Energy Particle Detection

Researchers at Argonne have discovered that superconducting nanowire photon detectors can also be used as highly accurate particle detectors, and they have found the optimal nanowire size for high detection efficiency.

Unlocking Safer Batteries: New Study Uncovers Key Insights Into Electrolyte Materials for All-Solid-State Batteries

Correlated Nucleon Pairs Predict Quark-Gluon Distributions

Physicists know from previous experiments that what happens at the nuclear scale to protons and neutrons also affects their constituent quarks and gluons. A novel new framework has tapped on short-range correlations - brief pairings of protons and neutrons - to decipher the particles' choreography and reveal this connection.

Berkeley Lab Helps Explore Mysteries of Asteroid Bennu

Berkeley Lab's Advanced Light Source and Molecular Foundry provided powerful tools to study asteroid samples returned by NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission. Researchers found that asteroid Bennu contained a set of salty mineral deposits that formed in an exact sequence when a brine evaporated, leaving clues about the type of water that flowed billions of years ago.

Improving the Way Flash Memory Is Made

The narrow, deep holes required for one type of flash memory are made twice as fast with the right recipe, which includes a plasma made from hydrogen fluoride.

Peeling Back the Layers: Exploring Capping Effects on Nickelate Superconductivity

A team led by researchers at the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) used cutting-edge X-ray techniques to gain new insights into "infinite-layer" nickelate materials

Scientists Give Big Boost to Signals From Tin-Based Qubits

Stanford collaborators at the Q-NEXT quantum center amp up the signal from tin atoms embedded in diamond, opening possibilities for quantum networking. Q-NEXT is a U.S. Department of Energy quantum center led by DOE's Argonne National Laboratory.

Polymer Editing Can Upcycle Waste Into Higher-Performance Plastics

By editing the polymers of discarded plastics, chemists at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have found a way to generate new macromolecules with more valuable properties than those of the starting material.

"Louvers" on the SPARC Fusion Device Should Exhaust Gases as Hot as a Star

New studies have found that using louvers at the bottom of a fusion device creates local conditions that can reduce the temperature of the edge plasma, ensuring the plasma is not hot enough to damage the device. Specifically, the louvers allow the hot plasma to "detach" from the walls of the device, spreading out the heat. The work, on the SPARC machine, aids in progress toward fusion energy production.

Metastable Marvel: X-Rays Illuminate an Exotic Material Transformation

A team of scientists investigate an exotic, light-induced phase transformation within a material using advanced X-ray and laser capabilities.

Artificial Imagination

Kevin Yager, the Electronic Nanomaterials Group leader at the Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN), has articulated an overarching vision for the role of AI in scientific research. It's called a science exocortex -- "exo" meaning outside and "cortex" referencing the information processing layer of the human brain. Rather than simple chatbots and scientific assistants, the conceptualized exocortex will be an extension of a scientist's brain. Researchers will interact with it through conversation, without the need for any invasive brain-computer interfaces.

Tuning Magnetism With Voltage Opens a New Path to Neuromorphic Circuits

Lanthanum strontium manganite (LSMO) is a quantum material that is magnetic and conducts electricity at low temperature but is nonmagnetic and an insulator at room temperature. Researchers discovered that applying voltage to LSMO in its magnetic phase causes the material to split into regions with distinct magnetic properties whose properties depend on the applied voltage. This means that both resistance and magnetism can be tuned in LSMO, creating a new path toward neuromorphic devices.

Fresh, Direct Evidence for Tiny Drops of Quark-Gluon Plasma

A new analysis of data from the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) reveals fresh evidence that collisions of even very small nuclei with large ones might create tiny specks of a quark-gluon plasma (QGP).

Neutron Star Measurements Place Limits on Color Superconductivity in Dense Quark Matter

At extremely high densities, quarks are expected to form pairs, a phenomenon called color superconductivity. The strength of pairing inside a color superconductor is related to the pressure of dense matter such as neutron stars.

ORNL Partnership with EPB Tests New Method for Protecting Quantum Networks

Researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory joined forces with EPB of Chattanooga and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga to demonstrate the first transmission of an entangled quantum signal using multiple wavelength channels and automatic polarization stabilization over a commercial network with no downtime.

Unlocking the Potential of Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Argonne researchers have developed a new class of electrolyte additives for lithium-sulfur batteries, improving battery performance by suppressing the unwanted migration of polysulfide ions and reducing the uneven distribution and occurrence of chemical reactions within the system.

Driving Chemical Transformations Through the Power of Solar Energy

Researchers used solar energy to convert CO2 into a valuable chemical commodity with a two-step solar-powered process. First, electricity from solar energy combined with electrochemistry converts CO2 to ethylene.

Geochemist Kevin Rosso Appointed a Battelle Fellow

Geochemist Kevin Rosso earns the highest scientific and leadership honor bestowed by PNNL.

Advanced Techniques Paint a More Accurate Picture of Molecular Geometry in Metal Complexes

Attractive metal-metal bonding occurs in a variety of molecules made of metallic atoms such as Iridium (Ir). Current theoretical and experimental methods have shown the existence of two isomers for Ir-Ir molecular systems, but researchers have not been able to predict the proportions of these two isomers or how they interact.

Neutron Star Mountains Would Cause Ripples in Space-Time

The surface features of neutron stars are largely unknown. Nuclear theorists explored mountain building mechanisms active on the moons and planets in our solar system. Some of these mechanisms suggest that neutron stars are likely to have mountains. Neutron star mountains would be much more massive than any on Earth--so massive that gravity just from these mountains could produce ripples in the fabric of space and time.

MagLab Director to Coach Promising Young Leaders From U.S. Department of Energy's 17 National Labs

Kathleen Amm, director of the Florida State University-headquartered National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, will offer her experience, expertise and guidance to emerging science leaders from across the country.Amm has been named a mentor for the Department of Energy's 2025 Oppenheimer Science and Energy Leadership Program.

AI Tackles Disruptive Tearing Instability in Fusion Plasma

Instabilities in the plasma in a tokamak device can cause disruptions that result in rapid loss of plasma confinement and the release of large amounts of energy. Current approaches can suppress one type of disruption, tearing instabilities, after they form. Here, researchers tested a method using AI/deep reinforcement learning that instead adjusts plasma conditions in real-time to avoid these instabilities from developing in the first place.

New Approach Merges Theoretical Fundamentals with Experimental Studies of the Proton's Structure

New quantum chromodynamics (QCD) research provides physicists with the tools needed to relate the physics of specific particle collisions with the internal structure of the involved particles. These tools will help scientists relate theory and experiments into how quarks and gluons bind under the influence of QCD.

International Team Analyzes the Universe's First Light at South Pole Telescope

Researchers have analyzed polarized light data from the South Pole Telescope, revealing insights into the early universe. Their findings refine models of cosmic evolution and address the "Hubble tension" in cosmology.

On Time, Under Budget: INL Projects Demonstrate Ability to Deliver on Big Nuclear Jobs

Since its days as the National Reactor Testing Station, Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has focused on proving that what people think can't be done is in fact possible. In the past decade, the lab has repeatedly demonstrated to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the nuclear industry that it can complete large, complicated nuclear projects on time and under budget.

Identifying the Elements for Carbon Storage

Led by interns from multiple DOE programs, a newly expanded dataset allows researchers to use easy-to-obtain measurements to determine the elemental composition of a promising carbon storage mineral.

Stor4Build Heats Up Thermal Energy Storage Solutions for Buildings, Grid

Throughout the United States, more than 100 million buildings tap into electrical energy to keep heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration units functioning. HVAC systems cause most of the peak load demand on the electric grid; one way to alleviate the grid burden is to develop new storage options for heating and cooling.

Automation of Nuclear Chemistry Processes Leads to More Efficient Production of Astatine for Cancer Therapy

Astatine-211 (At-211) is a promising alpha emitting radioisotope for cancer therapy, but its short 7.2-hour half-life means that it must be handled quickly to minimize losses due to radioactive decay. In this research, scientists designed and tested an automated device for producing At-211 that improves production time and efficiency. The device also minimizes the dose of radioactivity to production staff and reduces the time needed to prepare samples for shipment.

Nondestructive Microwave Radar Finds Moisture Hiding Inside a Building's Walls

Researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory are using microwave radar reflection to nondestructively detect and measure the moisture content of materials within walls without removing drywall or cladding. This also expedites moisture identification and enables mold growth to be treated in the early stages.

Plasma Heating Efficiency in Fusion Devices Boosted by Metal Screens

Scientists have performed computer simulations confirming a technique that prevents the production of unhelpful electromagnetic waves, boosting the heat put into fusion plasma.

Springing Simulations Forward with Quantum Computing

Quantum computers have the potential to solve some problems much more efficiently than conventional computers. Researchers have now created a quantum computer algorithm for simulating coupled oscillators, systems of coupled masses and springs that are important for describing many real-world physical systems. The new algorithm results in exponentially faster simulation of coupled oscillators than ordinary algorithms.

Controller with Integrated Machine Learning Tweaks Fusion Plasmas in Real Time

The conditions for high fusion performance in fusion devices can result in damaging energy bursts called edge-localized modes (ELMs). ELMs can be stabilized through small adjustments to the magnetic confinement field, but this approach is usually limited to manual, preprogrammed responses. In this research, scientists integrated machine learning with adaptive control to achieve real-time adjustment capable of responding to the dynamic conditions of a fusion plasma in the DIII-D National Fusion Facility and Korea Institute of Fusion Energy KSTAR tokamaks.

Two Paths, Many Benefits

Yesterday's polluting fuel could be transformed into a valuable material for tomorrow's electric vehicle batteries, thanks to a wide-ranging research project that utilizes expertise spanning the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Jefferson Lab Dedicates Niobium-tin Particle Accelerator Prototype

Jefferson Lab has dedicated the first particle accelerator cryomodule built with niobium-tin components. The quarter cryomodule is the first designed and tested for accelerating an electron beam to 10 MeV or greater energies and marks a major milestone toward the next era of SRF particle accelerators.

Cooling with Electroluminescent Semiconductors

: In an LED, electroluminescence creates light through charge carriers that cause the semiconductor to emit photons. This emission can require more energy than is present in the semiconductor, and this excess energy comes from heat around the semiconductor. This makes a semiconductor into a cooling device. In this study, researchers proposed a way to improve the performance of this electroluminescent cooling by using multilayer semiconductors.

Metal Scrap Upcycled into High-Value Alloys with Solid Phase Manufacturing

Solid phase manufacturing can create new custom metal alloys through an innovative process called solid phase alloying, researchers from PNNL report.

Infrared Quantum Ghost Imaging Illuminates--But Doesn't Disturb--Living Plants

A method called quantum ghost imaging (QGI) allow scientists to capture images at extremely low light levels. QGI also enables the use of one color to examine a sample with extremely low light and another color to form the image. The method allows detailed imaging and monitoring without damage to live plants, allowing examination of active plant processes such as photosynthesis.

Milestone 10-GeV Experiment Shines Light on Laser-Plasma Interactions

With dual lasers, researchers at the Berkeley Lab Laser Accelerator Center accelerated a high-quality beam of electrons to 10 billion electronvolts in just 30 centimeters. The experiment gives scientists a "frame-by-frame" look at how a petawatt laser interacts with a long plasma channel, knowledge that's crucial for building future compact particle accelerators.

Speedy Nuclei Do the Twist

The way hydrocarbon molecules interact with light can affect the production of nitrous acid in the atmosphere. In this study, researchers used an ultrafast electron camera to image the motions of hydrocarbon molecules at ultrafast, ultrasmall scales. They identified a proton transfer step followed by an out-of-plane twisting motion as key components of energy relaxation after molecules interact with light.

Calculation Sharpens Imaging of Protons' Insides

Nuclear scientists used a new theoretical approach to calculate a value essential for unraveling the three-dimensional motion of quarks within a proton. The researchers obtained a significantly more accurate picture of these internal building blocks' transverse motion. The work will aid in calculations of 3D motion of quarks and gluons in future collider experiments.

The Future of More Sustainable Cooling and Heating Technology Could Be Just Around the Corner

A team of researchers from the U. S. Department of Energy Ames National Laboratory developed a magnetocaloric heat pump that matches current vapor-compression heat pumps for weight, cost, and performance.

Carbon Rings Under Stress

When molecules interact with ultraviolet (UV) light, they can change shape in processes that typically take just tens of picoseconds. In this study, researchers imaged these changes using X-ray free electron laser technology. They found that a strained bicyclic molecule emerges from the chemical reaction that occurs when a cyclopentadiene molecule absorbs UV light.

Thunderstruck: Researchers Demonstrate Lightning Strike Protection Tech for Composites

A team of Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers reached a significant milestone by building and testing an entire 6.5-foot turbine blade tip using fully recyclable materials that can withstand lightning voltage. ORNL's recent demonstration highlighted the possibilities of a new approach to protecting blades using conductive materials or coatings.

Landmark Photosynthesis Gene Discovery Boosts Plant Height, Advances Crop Science

A team of scientists with two Department of Energy Bioenergy Research Centers -- the Center for Bioenergy Innovation, or CBI, at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation, or CABBI, at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign -- identified a gene in a poplar tree that enhances photosynthesis and can boost tree height by about 30% in the field and by as much as 200% in the greenhouse.

DOE's Office of Science is now Accepting Applications for Office of Science Graduate Student Research Awards

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Science is pleased to announce that the Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program is now accepting applications for the 2025 solicitation 1 cycle. Applications are due on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. ET.

From Innovation to Industry: Researchers Complete Energy I-Corps Program

Nick Gregorich and Syed Islam, ORNL researchers, recently completed Cohort 19 of the Energy I-Corps program, an initiative of DOE's Office of Technology Transitions, or OTT, that provides teams of researchers and industry mentors with an immersive two-month training to develop commercialization pathways for laboratory-developed technologies.

Employee-Led Giving at Ornl Nets Over $1.1M for Area Nonprofits, Disaster Relief in 2024

Employees of the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory and its managing contractor, UT-Battelle, donated $1,104,866 in the 2024 ORNL Gives campaign, an annual employee-led effort to address needs throughout East Tennessee.

U.S. Department of Energy Announces Early Career Research Program for FY 2025

Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced it is accepting applications for the 2025 DOE Office of Science Early Career Research Program to support the research of outstanding scientists early in their careers. The program will support over 80 early career researchers for five years at U.S. academic institutions, DOE national laboratories, and Office of Science user facilities.

Elena Belova and Yevgeny Raitses Recognized for Groundbreaking Plasma Physics Research

Yevgeny Raitses and Elena Belova were named PPPL's 2024 Distinguished Research Fellows for their exceptional contributions to plasma physics. Their pioneering work in low-temperature plasma and fusion simulations highlights PPPL's leadership in advancing plasma research and fusion energy.

U.S. Department of Energy Announces Selectees for $107 Million Fusion Innovation Research Engine Collaboratives, and Progress in Milestone Program Inspired by NASA

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $107 million in funding for six projects in the Fusion Innovative Research Engine (FIRE) Collaboratives, and that several privately funded fusion companies have completed early critical-path science and technology (S&T) milestones in the Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program ("the Milestone Program"). Both programs, administered by DOE's Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) program in the Office of Science, are cornerstones of DOE's fusion strategy to accelerate the viability of commercial fusion energy.

Department of Energy Announces $71 Million for Research on Quantum Information Science Enabled Discoveries in High Energy Physics

Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $71 million in funding for 25 projects in high energy physics that will use the emerging technologies of quantum information science to answer fundamental questions about the universe.

State-of-the-art fusion simulation leads three scientists to the 2024 Kaul Foundation Prize

PPPL scientists Choongseok (CS) Chang, Seung-Hoe Ku and Robert Hager are winners of the 2024 Kaul Foundation Prize for pioneering simulations that suggest excess heat from escaping plasma particles is less likely to damage the inside of a fusion vessel than once thought.

Sujan Elected National Academy of Inventors Fellow

Vivek Sujan, a distinguished R&D scientist in the Applied Research for Mobility Systems group at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, has been named a 2024 National Academy of Inventors, or NAI, Fellow.

Animation Offers a New View of the Nucleus

The year 2025 has been proclaimed the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology by the United Nations, recognizing 100 years since the initial development of quantum mechanics.

Aydin Elevated to IEEE Senior Membership

Emrullah Aydin, an R&D staff associate in the Vehicle Power Electronics Research group at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, has been elevated to senior member status in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, or IEEE.

ASME Joins GEODE Consortium to Help Accelerate Development of Geothermal Energy

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) today announced it has joined the Geothermal Energy from Oil and Gas Demonstrated Engineering (GEODE) consortium, and that Madeleine Kopp, the Society's new sustainability program manager, will chair the GEODE consortium's Production and Operations Task Force in the Technology Roadmapping Working Group.

Students and Faculty to Join Research Teams this Spring at Department of Energy National Laboratories and a Fusion Facility

A diverse group of 164 undergraduate students and six faculty will participate in unique workforce development programs at 11 of the nation's national laboratories and a fusion facility during Spring 2025.

Gleason Named Director of Partnerships

Shaun Gleason has been named director of the聽Partnerships Office at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, effective January 6.The Partnerships Office advances and connects several critical elements within and beyond the laboratory, including entrepreneurship, commercialization and intellectual property management; technology transfer; strategic partnership programs; economic development and regional innovation; institutional industrial partnerships; and research security.

To Prevent an Energy Crisis, Sandia Labs Cofounds New Microelectronics Research Center

Sandia National Laboratories is collaborating with other research institutions to head off a potential future energy crisis that could be driven in part by artificial intelligence.

Robert McKeown Recognized for a Half Century of Distinguished Service

For nearly half a century, Robert D. "Bob" McKeown has probed nuclear particles and educated rising generations of physicists. Now, the former deputy director for science at the U.S. Department of Energy's Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility is being honored for his outstanding career contributions with the 2024 American Physical Society's Division of Nuclear Physics (DNP) Distinguished Service Award.

PPPL leading two CHIPS and Science Act projects

The U.S. Department of Energy has selected the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory to receive two prestigious Microelectronics Science Research Center. The DOE program leading to these awards originated from the CHIPS and Science Act.

Department of Energy Announces $179 Million for Microelectronics Science Research Centers

Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $179 million in funding for three Microelectronics Science Research Centers (MSRCs). These three MSRCs will perform basic research in microelectronics materials, device and system design, and manufacturing science to transform future microelectronics technologies. The MSRCs were authorized by the Micro Act, passed in the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, and complement the activities appropriated under the CHIPS and Science Act at the Department of Commerce, the Department of Defense, and other agencies.

Former Berkeley Lab Director Paul Alivisatos Receives the Enrico Fermi Presidential Award

Paul Alivisatos, a world-renowned chemist and president of the University of Chicago who served as director of the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) from 2009 to 2016, has been named one of this year's winners of the Enrico Fermi Presidential Award.

Biden-鈦燞arris Administration Honors Extraordinary American Scientists

Today, the Biden-Harris Administration awarded the Enrico Fermi Presidential Award to Hector D. Abruna, Paul Alivisatos, and John H. Nuckolls for their exemplary contributions to advance efforts to tackle some of the world's greatest challenges, including improving health outcomes, clean energy, and national security.

Jefferson Lab Devotes $3 Million to Testing New Ideas

Jefferson Lab announces its newest slate of projects to receive Laboratory Directed Research & Development (LDRD) program funding for 2025. In its 12th year, the LDRD program will split $3 million among 13 different projects.

DOE's RENEW Initiative to Support Seven Pathway Summer Institutes for Educators of Underrepresented and Underserved Groups in STEM

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Science (SC) will support nearly 85 educators who either teach at schools and community colleges with large populations of students historically underserved and/or underrepresented in STEM or are educators who are from groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM through awards for seven Pathway Summer Institutes for Educators at seven national laboratories.

Pioneering Argonne Chemist Chris Johnson Honored as National Academy of Inventors Fellow

The National Academy of Inventors has named Argonne chemist Chris Johnson as a 2024 fellow. Johnson is known worldwide for his pioneering contributions to battery research that promotes the transition to a more sustainable and decarbonized future.

Four Argonne Researchers Recognized on the American Nuclear Society's 鈥�"40 Under 40" List

Dave Grabaskas, Paul Romano, Ben Lindley and April Novak are recognized by American Nuclear Society on Nuclear 麻豆传媒' highly selective list of rising stars in nuclear research

Department of Energy Announces $36 Million for Student Traineeships

Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced 29 projects totaling $36 million to 42 institutions in 16 states for traineeships for undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The funding, through the DOE Office of Science's RENEW initiative, will support hands-on research experience, professional development activities to build or reinforce STEM identity, and mentorship to support personal and professional growth of trainees.

ORNL Researchers Recognized as Among World's Most Cited

Four researchers from the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory were recognized as Highly Cited Researchers by Clarivate, a data analytics firm that specializes in scientific and academic research; Clarivate calculates impact factor using data from聽Web of Science.

DOE Partners with UK's DESNZ and Tokamak Energy Ltd. to Accelerate Fusion Energy Development through a $52M Upgrade to the Privately Owned ST40 Facility

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.K.'s Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), and the private fusion company Tokamak Energy Ltd. (TE) today announced a plan to jointly sponsor a $52 million upgrade to the ST40 experimental fusion facility to advance fusion science and technology needed to deliver a future fusion pilot plant. Fusion powers the sun and stars, and, if harnessed on Earth, could provide an abundant, safe, and carbon-emissions-free energy source. This collaboration was selected through the 2025 fiscal year Office of Science open funding opportunity.

Seven Researchers Named to Battelle Distinguished Inventor Cadre

Seven scientists affiliated with the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have been named Battelle Distinguished Inventors in recognition of being granted 14 or more United States patents. Since Battelle began managing ORNL in 2000, 104 ORNL researchers have reached this milestone.

Faster, More Informed Environmental Permitting with AI-Guided Support

Federal environmental permitting process to be fast-tracked with AI-powered tools and cloud-supported data analysis.

U.S. Department of Energy Announces $31 Million to Build Research Capacity at Academic Institutions Across the United States

Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $31 million in funding for 42 projects to 36 institutions in 24 states to build research capacity, infrastructure, and expertise at academic institutions across the country. Through the Funding for Accelerated, Inclusive Research (FAIR) initiative, the Office of Science builds strong, long-lasting relationships between lead institutions and DOE National Laboratories, Office of Science scientific user facilities, or research-intensive academic institutions to perform basic research in a broad array of areas, including physics, chemistry, and materials science, that are supported by the Office of Science.

Frontier Supercomputer Hits New Highs in Third Year of Exascale

The HPE Cray EX supercomputing system reported new highs for problem-solving speeds this week. The score earned Frontier the No. 2 spot on the November 2024 TOP500聽list.

Argonne to Explore Novel Ways to Fight Cancer and Transform Vaccine Discovery with Over $21 Million From ARPA-H

Argonne has received up to $21 million from ARPA-H to use AI and supercomputing in two projects: one targeting hard-to-treat tumors, and another aiming to create vaccines for multiple viral threats, including cancer and pandemics.

Seiber Elevated to IEEE Senior Member

Larry Seiber, an R&D staff member in the Vehicle Power Electronics group at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, has been elevated to senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, or IEEE.

DOE Announces Funding for Climate Resilience Centers

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science has issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Climate Resilience Centers (CRCs). These new centers will be dedicated to rapidly developing new science and talent to address the nation's most pressing climate resilience challenges.

Scientists Address Risks to Supply Chain in a Connected World

Protecting critical systems such as the electrical grid and water treatment plants from cyber-based risks to the supply chain is the focus of a new conference at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

Applications Now Open for Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced a fellowship open to all U.S. students pursuing doctoral degrees in fields that use high-performance computing to solve complex science and engineering problems.

UAH Graduate Student Wins DOE Office of Science Graduate Student Research Award to Study Magneto-Inertial Fusion at Los Alamos

Ian Wagner, a doctoral candidate of mechanical and aerospace engineering at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), has been selected to receive the United States Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) award. The honor resulted from Wagner's proposed research project to study plasma-jet driven magneto-inertial fusion, to be conducted at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL).

Three Argonne Scientists Receive U.S. Department of Energy Awards to Advance Quantum Computing

The U.S. Department of Energy announces $65 million to advance quantum computing at more than 20 institutions across the nation. Three Argonne National Laboratory scientists and their teams are among the recipients.

Argonne Materials Scientist Mercouri Kanatzidis Wins Award From American Chemical Society for Chemistry of Materials

Argonne materials scientist Mercouri Kanatzidis received the award for chemistry in materials from the American Chemical Society, the nation's leading professional society for chemists.

Calling All University Faculty: Accepting Applications for Summer 2025 Visiting Faculty Program

College and university faculty at emerging research institutions are invited to apply to collaborate with national laboratory scientific research staff on research projects of mutual interest, the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science announced today.

Discover Science: Applications Open for Summer 2025 Undergraduate Internships

As the nation continues to build a diverse, clean-energy workforce, the Department of Energy (DOE) today announced that applications are being accepted for the Summer 2025 term of two undergraduate internship programs.

Honoring a Career of Outstanding Achievement

This year, the U.S. Department of Energy's Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility celebrates the 40th anniversary of its founding to probe the secrets of the subatomic universe. And for 39 of those years, esteemed physicist Volker D. Burkert has been an important part of its mission. Now, Burkert is being honored for his contributions to advancements in experimental physics with the prestigious Tom W. Bonner Prize in Nuclear Physics. The citation reads: "For exemplary leadership in the development of high-performance instrumentation for large acceptance spectrometers that have enabled breakthroughs in fundamental nuclear physics through electroproduction measurements of exclusive processes."

Wind Blade Composite Project From ORNL Wins Green Design Innovation Award

Researchers from the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory were recently honored with a prestigious ACE Award for Composites Excellence by the American Composites Manufacturers Association.

Department of Energy Announces $49鈥疢illion for Research on Foundational Laboratory Fusion

As the Department of Energy (DOE) continues to accelerate a clean-energy future that includes fusion technology, a total of $49鈥痬illion in funding for 19 projects was announced today in the Foundational Fusion Materials, Nuclear Science, and Technology programs.

Argonne Receives Funding for Artificial Intelligence in Scientific Research

Argonne National Laboratory receives funding from the U.S. Department of Energy for two AI projects that aim to develop privacy-preserving and energy-efficient AI technologies, pushing the boundaries of scientific research and safeguarding sensitive data.

Registration Now Open for Energy Department's National Science Bowl(r)

Registration is open for the 35th National Science Bowl(r) (NSB), hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science. Thousands of students compete in the contest annually as it has grown into one of the largest academic math and science competitions in the country.

Jefferson Lab Physicists Named APS Fellows

Four Jefferson Lab staff members have been named 2024 American Physical Society Fellows.

Atmospheric Observatory Opens for Operation in Bankhead National Forest

With help from scientists at U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories, DOE's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility has established a cutting-edge atmospheric observatory in Alabama's William Bankhead National Forest.

Energy Department Awards New Contract to Manage and Operate Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded a new contract to manage and operate Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) located in Batavia, IL. The award was the result of a DOE competition for the management and operating (M&O) contract for the laboratory. The successful offeror is Fermi Forward Discovery Group, LLC (FFDG).

Department of Energy Announces up to $500 Million for Basic Research to Advance the Frontiers of Science

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced up to $500 million in funding for basic research in support of DOE's clean energy, economic, and national security goals.

Autonomous Discovery Defines the Next Era of Science

Argonne National Laboratory is reimagining the lab spaces and scientific careers of the future by harnessing the power of robotics, artificial intelligence and machine learning in the quest for new knowledge.

Halide Perovskite Material Exhibits Liquid-Like Atomic Vibrations

Halide perovskites have applications in solar energy, radiation detection, and potentially in thermal harvesting. Cesium lead bromide is among the simplest of lead halide perovskite materials (LHPs). New research examined structural instabilities and large atomic fluctuations that may affect LHPs' optical and thermal properties. It found that the atomic vibrations (phonons) of bromine octahedrons have large amplitudes but cannot oscillate for long amounts of time. Instead, the vibrations are strongly damped.

DOE Announces $178 Million to Advance Bioenergy Technology

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $178 million for bioenergy research to advance sustainable technology breakthroughs that can improve public, health, help address climate change, improve food and agricultural production, and create more resilient supply chains. This funding will support cutting-edge biotechnology R&D of bioenergy crops, industrial microorganisms, and microbiomes. Alternative clean energy sources like bioenergy are playing a key role in reaching President Biden's goal of a net-zero carbon economy by 2050.

Machine Learning Helps Predict Protein Functions

To engineer proteins for specific functions, scientists change a protein sequence and experimentally test how that change alters its function. Because there are too many possible amino acid sequence changes to test them all in the laboratory, researchers build computational models that predict protein function based on amino acid sequences. Scientists have now combined multiple machine learning approaches for building a simple predictive model that often works better than established, complex methods.

Department of Energy Announces $26 Million for Research on Next-Generation Data Management and Scientific Data Visualization

Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $26 million for research to advance scientific data management and visualization. Foundational research in data management will address challenges stemming from the increasingly massive data sets produced by scientific experiments and supercomputers. Innovative and intuitive data visualization approaches will support scientific discovery, decision-making, and communication based on that data.

Harvesting Energy from Light using Bio-inspired Artificial Cells

Scientists designed and connected two different artificial cells to each other to produce molecules called ATP (adenosine triphosphate).

Engineering Living Scaffolds for Building Materials

Bone and mollusk shells are composite systems that combine living cells and inorganic components. This allows them to regenerate and change structure while also being very strong and durable. Borrowing from this amazing complexity, researchers have been exploring a new class of materials called engineered living materials (ELMs).

Excavating Quantum Information Buried in Noise

Researchers developed two new methods to assess and remove error in how scientists measure quantum systems. By reducing quantum "noise" - uncertainty inherent to quantum processes - these new methods improve accuracy and precision.

How Electrons Move in a Catastrophe

Lanthanum strontium manganite (LSMO) is a widely applicable material, from magnetic tunnel junctions to solid oxide fuel cells. However, when it gets thin, its behavior changes for the worse. The reason why was not known. Now, using two theoretical methods, a team determined what happens.

When Ions and Molecules Cluster

How an ion behaves when isolated within an analytical instrument can differ from how it behaves in the environment. Now, Xue-Bin Wang at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory devised a way to bring ions and molecules together in clusters to better discover their properties and predict their behavior.

Tune in to Tetrahedral Superstructures

Shape affects how the particles fit together and, in turn, the resulting material. For the first time, a team observed the self-assembly of nanoparticles with tetrahedral shapes.

Tracing Interstellar Dust Back to the Solar System's Formation

This study is the first to confirm dust particles pre-dating the formation of our solar system. Further study of these materials will enable a deeper understanding of the processes that formed and have since altered them.

Investigating Materials that Can Go the Distance in Fusion Reactors

Future fusion reactors will require materials that can withstand extreme operating conditions, including being bombarded by high-energy neutrons at high temperatures. Scientists recently irradiated titanium diboride (TiB2) in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) to better understand the effects of fusion neutrons on performance.

Better 3-D Imaging of Tumors in the Breast with Less Radiation

In breast cancer screening, an imaging technique based on nuclear medicine is currently being used as a successful secondary screening tool alongside mammography to improve the accuracy of the diagnosis. Now, a team is hoping to improve this imaging technique.

Microbes are Metabolic Specialists

Scientists can use genetic information to measure if microbes in the environment can perform specific ecological roles. Researchers recently analyzed the genomes of over 6,000 microbial species.

Even Hard Materials Have Soft Spots

The Achilles Heel of "metallic glasses" is that while they are strong materials--even stronger than conventional steels--they are also very brittle. The initial failures tend to be localized and catastrophic. This is due to their random amorphous (versus ordered crystalline) atomic structure. Computer simulations revealed that the structure is not completely random, however, and that there are some regions in the structure that are relatively weak. Defects nucleate more easily in these regions, which can lead to failure. This understanding of the mechanical properties has led to a strategy for making the material stronger and less brittle.

2-D Atoms Do the Twist

In the study, scientists demonstrated, for the first time, an intrinsically rotating form of motion for the atoms in a crystal. The observations were on collective excitations of a single molecular layer of tungsten diselenide. Whether the rotation is clockwise or counter-clockwise depends on the wave's propagation direction.

Location, Location, Location... How charge placement can control a self-assembled structure

For years, scientists have formed polymers using the interaction of charges on molecular chains to determine the shape, geometry, and other properties. Now, a team achieved precise and predictable control of molecular chains by positioning charges. Their method leads to particles with reproducible sizes.

Cracking in Harsh Environments Needs Stress and Corrosion, But Not at the Same Time

Alloys (metals combining two or more metallic elements) are typically stronger and less susceptible to cracking than pure metals. Yet when alloys are subjected to stress and a harsh chemical environment, the alloy can fail. The reason? Cracks caused by corrosion.

Simultaneous Clean and Repair

Scientists have developed a novel and efficient approach to surface cleaning, materials transport, and repair.

Where Does Salt in the Amazon Air Come From?

Tiny particles of sodium salt float in the air over the pristine Amazon basin. Why? The only explanation before now has been that winds blow marine particles hundreds of miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean. An international team of scientists used chemical imaging and atmospheric models to prove otherwise.

Testing the Toughness of Microbial Cell Walls

Microbial cells contain biological material that can be important for research or industrial use, such as DNA or proteins. Yet, reaching this cellular material can be a challenge.

How Many Copies Does It Take to Change a Trait?

New research shows that the number of copies of genes in a poplar tree affects its traits. Scientists developed a group of poplar trees in which different plants have DNA segments that are repeated or deleted.

Microbial Evolution: Nature Leads, Nurture Supports

Based on an extensive study across environments, from mixed conifer forest to high-desert grassland, the team suggests that microbes aren't so different from larger, more complex forms of life. That is, in determining species traits, nature takes the lead, while nurture plays a supporting role.

Building a Scale to Weigh Superheavy Elements

Scientists made the first direct, definitive measurement of the weight, also known as the mass number, for two superheavy nuclei.

Survey Delivers on Dark Energy with Multiple Probes

The Dark Energy Survey has combined its four primary cosmological probes for the first time in order to constrain the properties of dark energy.

Crossing the Great Divide Between Model Studies and Applied Reactors in Catalysis

A team devised a way to bridge the gap between two extremes. Using their approach, they can predict catalyst performance across a wider range of temperatures and pressures.

Tiny, Sugar-Coated Sheets Selectively Target Pathogens

Researchers developed molecular flypaper that recognizes and traps viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens.

Getting Metal Under Graphite's Skin

Some metals need to be protected from the atmosphere. Exposure leads to damage that ruins their unique properties. Controllably forming metal islands just under the surface of graphite protects the metals. This allows these metals to take on new roles in ultrafast quantum computers. It also means new roles in magnetic, catalytic, or plasmonic materials.

Atomically Packed Boundaries Resist Cracking

Scientists devised specialized X-ray mapping techniques. They determined that boundaries associated with regions where atoms are closely packed together most readily resist cracking. This analysis revealed that when a crack encounters such a boundary, it's deflected to a less direct path and crack growth is slowed.

End-run Spreads Lithium Throughout Battery Electrodes

Scientists used chemically sensitive X-ray microscopy to map lithium transport during battery operation.

Knowledgebase Is Power for Nuclear Reactor Developers

Six new nuclear reactor technologies are planned to commercially deploy between 2030 and 2040. ORNL's Weiju Ren heads a project managing structural materials information. This conversation explores challenges and opportunities in sharing nuclear materials knowledge internationally.

Excited Atoms Rush Independently to New Positions

How atoms react to a sudden burst of light shows scientists how the larger material might act in sensors, data storage devices, and more.

Chaos Ensues When Lasers and Plasma Meet

Warp+PXR dramatically improves the accuracy of the simulations compared to those typically used in plasma research. Now, researchers can simulate lasers' interactions with plasma with much higher precision.

This Superconductor Does Not Take Light Lightly

Superconductors are materials that show no resistance to electrical current when cooled. Recently, scientists discovered a new superconducting material. Now, scientists have found that when exposed to low-energy ultraviolet light, the material acts as a superconductor at higher temperatures.

Nuclear Physics Detector Tech Used in Cancer Treatment Monitoring System

The OARtrac(r) system includes technologies that are based on a novel application of scintillating material in fiber form. Doctors can insert these scintillating fibers into the human body via a catheter to monitor the radiation that cancer patients receive in a range of hard-to-reach areas.

Machine Learning Helps Create Detailed, Efficient Models of Water

A team devised a way to better model water's properties. They developed a machine-learning workflow that offers accurate and computationally efficient models.

Cultivating the Assembly Landscape

For the first time, a team determined and predictably manipulated the energy landscape of a material assembled from proteins. Designing materials that easily and reliably morph on command could benefit water filtration, sensing applications, and adaptive devices.

A Change in Structure for a Superheavy Magnesium Isotope

A recent measurement exploring the structure of magnesium-40 has shown a surprising change in the structure relative to expectations. This unanticipated change could be pointing to physics missing from our theories, such as the effects of weak binding between particles.

A Search for New Superheavy Isotopes

If you chart the stability of atomic cores (nuclei), the trend is that adding more protons and neutrons makes the atom less stable. However, there's an island of stability that bucks this trend. If scientists can provide an easier way of producing elements predicted to be on that island of stability, they can fine-tune today's nuclear models. Such elements were difficult to produce, until a team built an apparatus that efficiently produces superheavy elements by transferring multiple nucleons (either protons or neutrons).

Improved Fuel Cell Catalysts with Less Platinum

Scientists have identified highly active yet stable catalysts for use in fuel cells that contain only a quarter of the platinum as compared to existing devices. Platinum is essential for promoting reactions in these fuel cells. However, the precious metal is rare and expensive. Interactions between platinum-cobalt particles and a precious metal-free support contribute to the improved performance.

New Insights into a Long-Standing Debate About Materials that Turn Motion into Electricity

For decades, scientists have been intrigued by a class of electronic materials called relaxor ferroelectrics. These lead-based materials can convert mechanical energy to electrical energy and vice versa. The underlying mechanism for this behavior has been elusive. The challenge was getting a detailed view of the atomic structure, critical to resolve the debate concerning the role of local order. Now, novel neutron-based tools and methods have resolved this debate--revealing the relationship of local order motifs and how they affect the underlying properties.

Super-stretchy, Self-healing, Tunable Polymers

Discovery of novel polymers with extreme stretching, vibration suppression, and self-healing.

Beyond the "Sound Barrier" to Get the Heat Out

To create materials that handle heat well, scientists are exploring how vibrations within the atomic structure carry heat. Atomic vibrations used to remove heat usually are limited by the speed of sound. A new observation may have shattered that limit. A team of scientists observed particles, called phasons, moving faster than the speed of sound that carry heat. The phasons use a pattern of motion in which atoms rearrange themselves, allowing heat to move faster.

Novel Electrodes Enhance Battery Capacity

New self-supporting composite metal material doubles the volumetric energy and achieves fast charging rates in batteries.

Bursts of Light Shape Walls Between Waves of Charge

To better store data, scientists need ways to change a material's properties suddenly. For example, they want a material that can go from insulator to conductor and back again. Now, they devised a surprisingly simple way of flipping a material from one state into another, and back again, with flashes of light. A single light pulse turns thin sheets of tantalum disulfide from its original (alpha) state into a mixture of alpha and beta states. Domain walls separate the two states. A second pulse of light dissolves the walls, and the material returns to its original state.

Microbes Retain Toxicity Tolerance After They Escape Toxic Elements

Ground water microbes living outside a contaminated area contain mobile genetic elements that provide them resistance to heavy metals.

Trees Consider the Climate When Choosing Their Partners

ees can establish several types of symbiotic relationships with fungi and bacteria. Researchers constructed a global map of the types of tree symbioses across the world. With the map, they determined that the type of fungal symbiosis found in trees depends on how quickly the organic matter in the soil decomposes. The team also found that bacteria that convert nitrogen gas from the atmosphere into plant-usable products form tree symbioses in arid environments.

New Geometric Model Improves Predictions of Fluid Flow in Rock

Supercomputer validates mathematical approach for describing geological features.

Feeding Sugars to Algae Makes Them Fat

Some microscopic green algae stop photosynthesizing and start accumulating fats and/or other valuable molecules when certain changes happen. However, scientists don't know the details of those swift metabolic changes. A team examined a green microalga to better understand this process. After a few days of feeding this microbe sugar, it completely dismantles its photosynthetic apparatus while accumulating fat. In contrast, after the team stopped feeding it sugar, the microbe returned to its normal metabolism.