Doe Science news source

Welcome // The DOE Science News Source is a Newswise initiative to promote research news from the Office of Science of the DOE to the public and news media.

//Breaking

The Future of Telecom Is Atomically Thin

EPB, ORNL announce plans for research collaborative focused on energy resilience, quantum technology

Building on $180 million in joint energy-related research, EPB and Oak Ridge National Laboratory marked 10 years of collaboration Friday with the announcement of the new Collaborative for Energy Resilience and Quantum Science, or CERQS.

PNNL Software Technology Wins FLC Award

Visual Sample Plan, a free software tool developed at PNNL that boosts statistics-based planning, has been recognized with a 2024 Federal Laboratory Consortium Award.

ORNL wins five Federal Laboratory Consortium awards

Researchers, staff members and licensees from the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory received top honors in the Federal Laboratory Consortium's annual awards competition for excellence in technology transfer, excellence in technology transfer innovation, outstanding researcher and regional technology transfer.

DOE program aims to enhance, protect America's power grid

ASU is developing an underground construction tool that would deploy medium-voltage electrical cables and conduits simultaneously underground with a lower risk to existing utilities, also reducing costs and schedule impacts from reaming and duct pulling tasks.

Argonne National Laboratory flexes capabilities with receipt of four nuclear innovation vouchers

Argonne received GAIN vouchers to work with ARC Clean Technology, Inc., SHINE Technologies, Global Nuclear Fuels - Americas and Energy Northwest.

Next Generation Spinal Fusion Goes "Meta"

A civil engineer at the University of Pittsburgh is applying his expertise in bridges and infrastructure to develop new materials that better treat spinal injury, repair, and recovery.

Allen Fawcett Named Director of the Joint Global Change Research Institute

An energy expert and economist who has played a leading role in formulating and coordinating U.S. climate policy is the new director of the Joint Global Change Research Institute in College Park, Maryland.

Wagner named associate laboratory director for Energy Science and Technology

The Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory has named Robert Wagner associate laboratory director for the Energy Science and Technology Directorate, effective Feb. 1.

Department of Energy Announces $24 Million for Small Business Research and Development Grants

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced awards totaling $24 million for small businesses in 30 states and the District of Columbia.

DOE's Office of Science Supports 173 Outstanding Undergraduate Students and 8 Faculty Members from Institutions Underrepresented in the Scientific Research Enterprise

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Office of Science will sponsor the participation of 173 undergraduate students and eight faculty members in three science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-focused workforce development programs at 13 DOE national laboratories and facilities this spring.

PNNL Kicks Off Multi-Year Energy Storage, Scientific Discovery Collaboration with Microsoft

The convergence of artificial intelligence, cloud, and high-performance computing to accelerate scientific discovery is the focus of a multi-year collaboration between Microsoft and PNNL.

U.S. Department of Energy Issues Request for Proposals for Contractor to Manage and Operate Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory

Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the issuance of a Request for Proposals (RFPs) for the competitive selection of a management and operating contractor for Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL).

U.S. Department of Energy Announces Early Career Research Program for FY 2024

Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced it is accepting applications for the 2024 DOE Office of Science Early Career Research Program to support the research of outstanding scientists early in their careers.

New Argonne-led project to advance data analysis methods for light sources

The U.S. Department of Energy has approved funding for three projects focused on integrating scientific computing with user facility light sources.

Alexander Zholents recognized with 2023 Dieter Mohl Award

Alexander Zholents, a senior physicist at Argonne National Laboratory, is one of the recipients of the 2023 Dieter Mohl Award. The award honors the late Dieter Mohl, a pioneer in the realm of particle beam cooling and celebrates achievements in the field.

Five researchers named Argonne Distinguished Fellows for 2023

Researcher's honor is awarded to less than 3% of Laboratory's scientific staff.

DOE's Office of Science Releases Vision Outlining the Path to Advancing Fusion Energy Science and Technology

The Office of Fusion Energy Sciences (FES), at the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science, announced the release of its vision, Building Bridges: A Vision for the Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, during the Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee hearing on December 13, 2023.

The A+ Team Tackles AI and Quantum Computing Hardware

A multidisciplinary team led by Jefferson Lab and including imec, NY CREATES, and Cornell University has been selected by DOE to advance a superconducting approach to advanced computer chip technology.

SLAC brings rapid-fire laser and target expertise to national fusion energy research hubs

The lab will partner in two collaborations - one led by Colorado State University and the other by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory - as part of a DOE-funded effort to speed up progress in fusion energy science and technology.

DOE Announces $42 Million for Inertial Fusion Energy Hubs

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $42 million for a program that will establish multi-institutional and multi-disciplinary hubs to advance foundational inertial fusion energy (IFE) science and technology, building on the groundbreaking work of the Department's researchers into harnessing the power of the sun and stars.

International science organizations sign agreement to provide hardware for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment

Ten international funding agencies will contribute to the construction of the gigantic particle detectors a mile underground for the Fermilab-hosted Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment.

A Partnership Forged in Diamond

Tina Brower-Thomas of Howard University and Kenneth Evans-Lutterodt of Brookhaven Lab's National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II), a DOE Office of Science User Facility, were recently awarded a $1.5 million grant through the Department of Defense's University Instrumentation Program (DURIP), sponsored by the Office of Naval Research.

Jefferson Lab Site Grows with Addition of Applied Research Center

Today, the City of Newport News announced the transfer of the Applied Research Center to Jefferson Lab and the Department of Energy. The announcement was made in a ribbon-tying ceremony for the building. Renovation work on the ARC is planned over the next four years.

Cable-Dunlap, Chi, Smith and Thornton named ORNL Corporate Fellows

Four researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have been named ORNL Corporate Fellows in recognition of significant career accomplishments and continued leadership in their scientific fields.

Argonne physicist recognized for "Top Cited Paper" by Institute of Physics

A paper co-authored by Argonne Physicist Filip Kondev has earned a "Top Cited Paper Award" from IOP Publishing. The paper provides fundamental nuclear physics properties for all known nuclei and ranks in the top 1% in IOP's Physics category since 2020.

ORNL engineer Karen White honored with Lifetime Achievement Award

Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Karen White, who works in ORNL's Neutron Science Directorate, has been honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award.White, who manages the section that provides the machine controls, computing infrastructure, and protection systems across all neutron science technical areas, received the award during the biennial International Conference on Accelerator and Large Experimental Physics Control Systems, held October 7-13, 2013, in Cape Town, South Africa.

Argonne and Idaho National Laboratories partner with CMBlu Energy for innovative long-duration energy storage project

Argonne and Idaho National Laboratories will collaborate with CMBlu Energy to validate its battery technology for strengthening microgrid resilience in cold climates and electric vehicle charging in underserved areas.

Four scientists receive Battelle Distinguished Inventor recognition

Since UT-Battelle began managing ORNL in 2000, 97 ORNL researchers have reached this milestone

Parsing the Puzzle of Nucleon Spin

Jefferson Lab nuclear physicist Alexandre Deur has been named an American Physical Society Fellow for the study of the spin structure of the nucleon.

Owner of US heavy rare earth mine licenses ORNL separation technology

Caldera Holding has licensed ORNL's membrane solvent extraction technique to separate rare earth elements in mined ore. The company also owns the Pea Ridge iron mine in Missouri. The mine is among the first in America shown to have relatively high amounts of dysprosium -- critical for permanent magnets.

Researcher wins $366K grant to study environmental influences on southeastern clouds and storms

Dr. Sean Freeman, a researcher at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), has been awarded a $366,000 Department of Energy (DOE) grant to examine how atmospheric conditions such as winds, humidity, temperature and aerosols impact the growth of thunderstorms and the severe weather they produce within the Southeast. Dr.

Manard named recipient of 2023 JAAS Emerging Investigator Lectureship

Benjamin Manard, an analytical chemist in the Chemical Sciences Division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, has been selected for the 2023 Emerging Investigator Lectureship from the Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry.

Hundreds of PPPL students and scientists present findings at annual APS-DPP conference in Denver

More than 120 staff and 80 students and interns from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) attended the American Physical Society's Division of Plasma Physics (APS-DPP) Conference from Oct 30 to Nov. 3 in Denver.

Seven ORNL scientists among world's top 1% most-cited researchers

Seven scientists from the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have been named among the world's most influential researchers on the 2023 Highly Cited Researchers list, produced by Clarivate, a data analytics firm that specializes in scientific and academic research.

Argonne receives funding to advance diversity in STEM

Argonne National Laboratory to partner with minority-serving institutions to mentor students in artificial intelligence research as part of DOE's effort to advance diversity in STEM.

Three Argonne scientists inducted as Fellows of American Physical Society

The American Physical Society welcomed three new Fellows from Argonne -- Dillon Fong, Katrin Heitmann and Ahren Jasper.

French and U.S. Science Agencies Take First Step to Collaborate on Electron-Ion Collider (EIC)

Representatives from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Science and the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) have signed a "Statement of Interest" to launch what both agencies hope will be a significant collaboration on the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC).

Jefferson Lab Welcomes Next Generation of Nuclear Physicists

The U.S. Department of Energy's Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility is proud to announce nine new graduate fellowships for the 2023-2024 academic year, thanks to ongoing funding from Jefferson Science Associates. These fellowships offer students a unique opportunity to collaborate with leading nuclear physicists at Jefferson Lab and pursue advanced studies at their respective universities.

University of Central Florida team crowned champion at the 2023 CyberForce Competition(r)

University of Central Florida won the 2023 CyberForce Competition which aimed to inspire and strengthen the next generation of cybersecurity professionals to tackle real-world issues.

McGuire takes top award at ORNL's Awards Night for leadership, materials research

Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Michael McGuire has received the lab's Director's Award for Outstanding Individual Accomplishment in Science and Technology and the Distinguished Researcher award for his leadership and contributions to materials research.

Growing the Quantum Workforce by Making Education Accessible to All

The Quantum Systems Accelerator's summer camp (QCaMP) for high school students in New Mexico and California continues to evolve and grow. Under the 2023 Reaching a New Energy Sciences Workforce (RENEW) Pathway Summer School initiative, the DOE Office of Science awarded new funding to expand QCaMP's curricula and host students on-site at Berkeley Lab and Sandia Labs in 2024.

Harold Hwang awarded 2024 McGroddy Prize for discovering exotic new materials

The American Physical Society recognized the SLAC and Stanford physicist for decades of groundbreaking work studying the strange behavior of electrons at the interfaces between materials.

Cathy Sue Cutler Named Chair of Isotope Research and Production Department

Cathy Sue Cutler, who has served as director of the Medical Isotope Research and Production (MIRP) program at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory since 2015, has been tapped to lead a newly created Isotope Research and Production (IP) Department at the Laboratory.

Hix, Lajoie elected Fellows of the American Physical Society

Physicists William Raphael "Raph" Hix of the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory and John Lajoie, who will join ORNL on Nov. 6 from Iowa State University, have been elected Fellows of the American Physical Society.

Department of Energy Announces $11.4 Million for Research on Quantum Information Science for Fusion Energy Sciences

Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $11.4 million for six projects in quantum information science (QIS) with relevance to fusion and plasma science.

Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm celebrates revolutionary X-ray laser upgrade at SLAC

The Secretary and other U.S. Department of Energy officials spent an afternoon touring SLAC's energy labs, the superconducting-accelerator-powered Linac Coherent Light Source, and the Legacy Survey of Space and Time Camera. At a celebratory gathering, they commended staff for their vision and dedication in bringing LCLS-II "first light" to fruition.

Experiment to Capture Universe's Earliest Moments Reaches Funding Milestone

The National Science Foundation has awarded up to $21.4 million for the design of telescopes for CMB-S4, an international experiment that will study the cosmic microwave background and help us understand the beginning, history, and makeup of the universe. Berkeley Lab leads the project for DOE and also plays a lead role in technology development.

Renewed support for high power laser facilities will benefit discovery science and inertial fusion energy research at SLAC

LaserNetUS funding will allow scientists to take advantage of the Matter in Extreme Conditions instrument and ultrabright X-rays at the Linac Coherent Light Source to explore fundamental plasma science and inertial fusion energy research and technology.

DOE's RENEW Initiative to Support Six Pathway Summer Schools for Students from Underrepresented and Underserved Groups in STEM

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Office of Science (SC) will support nearly 140 high schoolers, recent high school graduates, and early undergraduate students from underrepresented groups and underserved schools in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through awards for six Pathway Summer Schools at six national laboratories.

Department of Energy CyberForce Competition(r) 2023: Cultivating tomorrow's cybersecurity leaders today

DOE's CyberForce Competition on Nov. 4, led by Argonne National Laboratory, aims to bolster cybersecurity knowledge and skills among students and professionals, addressing critical infrastructure and cyber-physical threats.

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.

instagram wall for events