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Despite strong regulations and robust international safeguards, authorities routinely interdict nuclear materials outside of regulatory control. Researchers at ORNL are exploring a new method that would give authorities the ability to analyze intercepted nuclear material and determine where it originated. 

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A new study conducted on the Frontier supercomputer gave researchers new clues to improving fusion confinement. This research, in collaboration with General Atomics and UC San Diego, uncovered that the interaction between ions and electrons near the tokamak's edge can unexpectedly increase turbulence, challenging previous assumptions about how to optimize plasma confinement for efficient nuclear fusion.

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Researchers used quantum simulations to obtain new insights into the nature of neutrinos — the mysterious subatomic particles that abound throughout the universe — and their role in the deaths of massive stars.

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In May, the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge and Brookhaven national laboratories co-hosted the 15th annual International Particle Accelerator Conference, or IPAC, at the Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee. 

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Sara Martinez ensures the safety and longevity of aging structures at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, employing her engineering expertise to protect against natural disasters and extend the lifespan of critical facilities.

Dr. Prasanna Balaprakash speaks at the Plenary session during the 2024 National Science Bowl®

Prasanna Balaprakash, a national leader in artificial intelligence, or AI, spoke to some of the highest achieving students in the country at the National Science Bowl in Washington D.C.

ORNL researchers and communications specialists took part in the inaugural AI Expo for National Competitiveness in Washington D.C, May 7 and 8, showcasing how the lab and the Department of Energy are leading the way in utilizing AI.

ORNL researchers and communications specialists took part in the inaugural AI Expo for National Competitiveness in Washington D.C, May 7 and 8, to showcase and provide insight into how the lab is leading the way for utilizing the vast possibilities of AI. 

Frankie White, male in a black suite with a white shirt, is standing crossing his arms.

Early career scientist Frankie White's was part of two major isotope projects at the same time he was preparing to be a father. As co-lead on a team that achieved the first synthesis and characterization of a radium compound using single crystal X-ray diffraction and part of a team that characterized the properties of promethium, White reflects on the life-changing timeline at work, and at home. 

Man in blue shirt and grey pants holds laptop and poses next to a green plant in a lab.

John Lagergren, a staff scientist in Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Plant Systems Biology group, is using his expertise in applied math and machine learning to develop neural networks to quickly analyze the vast amounts of data on plant traits amassed at ORNL’s Advanced Plant Phenotyping Laboratory.

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Researchers set a new benchmark for future experiments making materials in space rather than for space. They discovered that many kinds of glass have similar atomic structure and arrangements and can successfully be made in space. Scientists from nine institutions in government, academia and industry participated in this 5-year study.