Feature Articles

Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory used the Frontier supercomputer to calculate the magnetic properties of calcium-48's atomic nucleus, resolving a long-standing experimental discrepancy. Their findings provide insights into how magnetism manifests in nuclei, contributing to our understanding of nuclear forces and the processes inside supernovae. This work could influence future experimental approaches and deepen our knowledge of the universe's fundamental forces.

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a new automated drone inspection system that can respond rapidly to unusual electric grid behavior, especially in remote areas that are tough for a worker to reach. ORNL demonstrated the new approach at a training facility for powerline workers owned by utility partner EPB of Chattanooga in Tennessee. 

Five researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory recently completed an eight-week pilot commercialization coaching program as part of Safari, a program funded by DOE’s Office of Technology Transitions, or OTT, Practices to Accelerate the Commercialization of Technologies, or PACT. 

 Energy I-Corps pairs teams of researchers, often with no business background or knowledge, with industry mentors through an immersive two-month training program where the scientists define their technology’s value propositions, conduct stakeholder discovery interviews and develop viable market pathways. Two ORNL teams participated in Cohort 18, which concluded in March, helping commercialize the fruits of their research.

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.