6-May-2025 Research reveals hidden gifts of the ‘black box’ for modeling grid behavior DOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory To create a more resilient electric grid that meets the nation’s increasing power demands, utilities are incorporating a wider array of energy sources. But this shift requires the ability to predict how the grid will react to fluctuations in the flow of electricity from new sources of power. Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a dynamic modeling method that uses machine learning to provide accurate simulations of grid behavior while maintaining what is called a “black box” approach. This technique does not require details about the proprietary technology inside the equipment — in this case, a type of power electronics called an inverter.
6-May-2025 Q&A: Can leisure make us healthier as individuals and as a society? Penn State Leisure can support happiness, well-being and a sense of purpose in life, all of which are associated with better physical and mental health. John Dattilo, professor of recreation, park and tourism management at Penn State, spoke about leisure and its value to individuals and society in this Q&A.
6-May-2025 Often seen as waste, stool may yield clues to microbiome’s role in cancer treatment Mayo Clinic At Mayo Clinic’s Center for Individualized Medicine, scientists are investigating stool samples to uncover new insights into cancer treatment. Often seen as waste, stool may provide valuable information about the microbiome — a complex ecosystem of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi and viruses in the gut.
6-May-2025 Bio-concrete from urine Universitaet Stuttgart Researchers at the University of Stuttgart have used microbial processes to produce environmentally friendly bio-concrete from urine as part of a “wastewater-bio-concrete-fertilizer” value chain. With the project extension granted by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research, and the Arts, the focus now shifts to product optimization and practical testing.
6-May-2025 Reviving Hilsa in Bangladesh’s three billion dollar fishery WorldFish Once on the brink of collapse, Bangladesh’s iconic hilsa fishery—worth three billion dollars annually—is recovering. Through co-management, community incentives, and science-led conservation, fishers are now stewards of the resource, incomes are rising, and the future of this vital species is looking brighter.
6-May-2025 Pitch perfect protection University of Tennessee at Knoxville To protect artists, University of Tennessee researchers have developed HarmonyCloak, a tool that prevents AI from reproducing an artist’s unique sound by embedding imperceptible noises in music data, making it unlearnable to AI models.
6-May-2025 Mapping the deep University of New Hampshire The Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping at the University of New Hampshire has become the world leader in both how we map the seafloor and who conducts that exploration. Funder NOAA Research
5-May-2025 University team to compete in Monaco Energy Boat Challenge for first time Heriot-Watt University A group of engineering students from Heriot-Watt University are ready to put their studies to the ultimate test when they compete against teams from 21 countries at the prestigious Monaco Energy Boat Challenge in July – the most advanced university competition on water.
5-May-2025 Politicians need to project sincerity. A Texas A&M study suggests that one common strategy works – and another does not Texas A&M University Research suggests voters respond better to moral arguments than practical ones. Candidates who framed arguments in terms of right and wrong were judged more sincere, and thus trustworthy. Even moderation – often derided in today’s political climate – appeared to work if paired with a right-wrong argument. Journal Political Behavior
5-May-2025 In first-of-its-kind surgery, rare spinal tumor removed through patient’s eye socket at University of Maryland Medical Center University of Maryland School of Medicine In a first-of-its-kind surgery, a team led by a University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) neurosurgeon has successfully removed a rare cancerous tumor wrapped around the spine and spinal cord of a 19-year-old woman – through her eye socket (orbit). Although surgeons use a “transorbital” approach to access tumors in the brain and sinuses, this is the first time it has ever been used to remove a spinal tumor. In this case, the young woman had a slow-growing developmental bone tumor called a chordoma in her spine. Only about 300 chordomas are diagnosed in the United States every year.
