Feature Articles

Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory led studies of the radioactive isotope beryllium-10, which existed when the solar system came into being some 4.5 to 5 billion years ago. They probed whether this isotope can be formed in sufficient quantities during the massive explosions of gigantic stars in their death throes, called supernovae.

Substances called polyethylene glycols, or PEGs, are widely used in industry, medical, cosmetics and personal care products. The problem is, when they enter the environment and build up, they can harm ecosystems and natural resources. Existing approaches to detecting these environmentally unfriendly chemicals — such as chromatography or bulk mass spectrometry — fall short because they lack the necessary sensitivity. However, new research led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory has demonstrated an effective technique for identifying PEGs in the environment.

Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed new software using electromagnetic transient analysis, a type of electric grid simulation, to speed up calculations that more accurately predict how modern power electronics will affect grid operations. This provides an essential tool for planning, design and operation of the modern power grid as it incorporates new renewable power generation and electric vehicle chargers. 

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory and partner institutions have launched a project to develop an innovative suite of tools that will employ machine learning algorithms for more effective cybersecurity analysis of the U.S. power grid. 

The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory has publicly released a new set of additive manufacturing data that industry and researchers can use to evaluate and improve the quality of 3D-printed components. The breadth of the datasets can significantly boost efforts to verify the quality of additively manufactured parts using only information gathered during printing, without requiring expensive and time-consuming post-production analysis.

Researchers conduct largest, most accurate molecular dynamics simulations to date of two million correlated electrons using Frontier, the world’s fastest supercomputer. The simulation, which exceed an exaflop using full double precision, is 1,000 times greater in size and speed than any quantum chemistry simulation of it's kind.

In the wet, muddy places where America’s rivers and lands meet the sea, scientists from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory are unearthing clues to better understand how these vital landscapes are evolving under climate change.

Guang Yang and Andrew Westover, scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, have been selected to join the first cohort of DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, or ARPA-E, Inspiring Generations of New Innovators to Impact Technologies in Energy 2024, or IGNIITE 2024, program. IGNIITE supports early career scientists and engineers in their work to convert innovative ideas into impactful energy technologies.

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed the first additive manufacturing slicing computer application to simultaneously speed and simplify digital conversion of accurate, large-format three-dimensional parts in a factory production setting. The technology, known as Slicer 2, can help widen the use of 3D printing for larger objects made from metallic and composite materials. Objects the size of a house and beyond are possible, such as land and aquatic vehicles and aerospace applications that include parts for reusable space vehicles.

The safety and efficiency of a large, complex nuclear reactor can be enhanced by hardware as simple as a tiny sensor that monitors a cooling system. That’s why researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory are working to make those basic sensors more accurate by pairing them with electronics that can withstand the intense radiation inside a reactor. The ORNL research team recently met with unexpectedly high success using a gallium nitride semiconductor for sensor electronics.