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At AGU: Shale sequestration, water for energy & soil microbes

DOE/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory scientists will present research on carbon sequestration at shale gas sites, water needs for energy production, climate-induced changes in microbes and more at the 2013 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, Dec. 9-13.

Funder: DOE/US Department of Energy
Meeting: 2013 AGU Fall Meeting

Highly insulating windows are very energy efficient, though expensive

DOE/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Highly insulating triple-pane windows keep a house snug and cozy, but it takes two decades or more for the windows to pay off financially based on utility-bill savings. Payoff is more immediate in terms of comfort and other factors. The newer windows slash energy use by 12.2 percent compared to double-pane windows, which are common in homes across the country.

Funder: DOE/US Department of Energy, Bonneville Power Administration
Meeting: Buildings XII Conference

The lingering clouds

DOE/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study reveals how pollution causes thunderstorms to leave behind larger, deeper, longer lasting clouds. Appearing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 26, the results solve a long-standing debate and reveal how pollution plays into climate warming. The work can also provide a gauge for the accuracy of weather and climate models.

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Funder: DOE/US Department of Energy

Scientists capture 'redox moments' in living cells

DOE/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Scientists have glimpsed key chemical events, known as redox reactions, inside living cells of fast-growing Synechococcus. The work marks the first time that redox activity, a very fast regulatory network involved in all major aspects of a cell's operation, has been observed in specific proteins within living cells. The findings hone scientists' control over a common tool in the biofuels toolbox -- a microbe that supplies some of the oxygen you breathe.

Journal: ACS Chemical Biology
Funder: DOE/US Department of Energy

Structure of bacterial nanowire protein hints at secrets of conduction

DOE/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Tiny electrical wires protrude from some bacteria and contribute to rock and dirt formation. Researchers studying the protein that makes up one such wire have determined the protein's structure. The finding is important to such diverse fields as producing energy, recycling Earth's carbon and miniaturizing computers.

Journal: Journal of Biological Chemistry
Funder: DOE/US Department of Energy

Tracking young salmon's first moves in the ocean

DOE/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Basic ocean conditions such as current directions and water temperature play a huge role in determining the behavior of young migrating salmon as they move from rivers and hit ocean waters for the first time, according to new research. How the fish fare during their first few weeks in the ocean has a profound impact on species' ability to survive into adulthood.

Journal: Animal Biotelemetry
Funder: US Army Corps of Engineers Institute for Water Resources

Preparing for hell and high water

DOE/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Peer-Reviewed Publication

As climate changes get more pronounced, people everywhere will have to adjust. In this week's issue of the journal Science, an international group of researchers urge the development of science needed to manage climate risks and capitalize on unexpected opportunities.

Journal: Science

Crafting a better enzyme cocktail to turn plants into fuel faster

DOE/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Scientists looking to create a potent blend of enzymes to transform materials like corn stalks and wood chips into fuels have developed a test that should turbocharge their efforts. The work revolves around the fungus Trichoderma reesei, which introduced itself to US troops during World War II by chewing through their tents in the Pacific theater. Now the fungus is a star in the world of biofuels.

Journal: Molecular BioSystems
Funder: DOE/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

DOE rooftop challenge winners offer energy, cost savings

DOE/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Putting new super-efficient rooftop HVAC units in broad use would be about equal to taking 700,000 cars off the road each year in terms of saved energy and reduced pollution, according to a new PNNL study.

Funder: DOE/US Department of Energy

Killer apps that could keep you healthy

DOE/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Business Announcement

The Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory hosted a competition this summer where graduate students designed two mobile apps to fight the threats of food-related illnesses and the flu.

Funder: Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Department of Defense

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