![Man in blue button down shirt poses outside for a picture with his arms crossed.](/sites/default/files/styles/featured_square_large/public/2024-07/Troy_Carter_headshot.jpeg?h=8a7fc05e&itok=VFmZIzHo)
Filter News
Area of Research
- (-) Biology and Environment (50)
- Advanced Manufacturing (3)
- Biological Systems (1)
- Biology and Soft Matter (1)
- Clean Energy (116)
- Computational Biology (2)
- Computational Engineering (2)
- Computer Science (1)
- Electricity and Smart Grid (1)
- Fuel Cycle Science and Technology (1)
- Functional Materials for Energy (1)
- Fusion and Fission (27)
- Fusion Energy (10)
- Isotope Development and Production (1)
- Isotopes (26)
- Materials (57)
- Materials for Computing (9)
- Mathematics (1)
- National Security (28)
- Neutron Science (22)
- Nuclear Science and Technology (39)
- Nuclear Systems Modeling, Simulation and Validation (1)
- Quantum information Science (2)
- Supercomputing (39)
- Transportation Systems (2)
News Topics
- (-) Biomedical (16)
- (-) Clean Water (11)
- (-) Cybersecurity (1)
- (-) Decarbonization (19)
- (-) Isotopes (2)
- (-) Nuclear Energy (1)
- (-) Transportation (3)
- 3-D Printing/Advanced Manufacturing (11)
- Advanced Reactors (1)
- Artificial Intelligence (9)
- Big Data (9)
- Bioenergy (45)
- Biology (73)
- Biotechnology (13)
- Buildings (2)
- Chemical Sciences (11)
- Climate Change (40)
- Composites (5)
- Computer Science (19)
- Coronavirus (13)
- Critical Materials (1)
- Energy Storage (7)
- Environment (89)
- Exascale Computing (4)
- Frontier (3)
- Fusion (1)
- Grid (3)
- High-Performance Computing (20)
- Hydropower (8)
- Machine Learning (8)
- Materials (12)
- Materials Science (6)
- Mathematics (3)
- Mercury (7)
- Microscopy (10)
- Molten Salt (1)
- Nanotechnology (7)
- National Security (3)
- Net Zero (2)
- Neutron Science (4)
- Partnerships (5)
- Physics (2)
- Polymers (2)
- Renewable Energy (1)
- Security (2)
- Simulation (14)
- Summit (10)
- Sustainable Energy (30)
- Transformational Challenge Reactor (1)
Media Contacts
![Biofuels, such as those derived from the switchgrass being harvested in this field in Vonore, Tennessee, are just one of the technology-based solutions that ORNL summit participants identified recently as key to decarbonizing the agriculture sector. Credit: Erin G. Webb, ORNL/U.S. Dept. of Energy.](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2022-01/SwitchgrassVonore_ErinWebb_0.jpg?h=0ad68e88&itok=GNhjrsix)
Energy and sustainability experts from ORNL, industry, universities and the federal government recently identified key focus areas to meet the challenge of successfully decarbonizing the agriculture sector
![Planting native grasses such as the bioenergy crop switchgrass can restore habitat for birds like this Eastern kingbird. Credit: Chris Lituma/West Virginia University](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2021-11/Eastern%20Kingbird-2_0.jpg?h=50440fcc&itok=47pCnCan)
An analysis by Oak Ridge National Laboratory shows that using less-profitable farmland to grow bioenergy crops such as switchgrass could fuel not only clean energy, but also gains in biodiversity.
![Researchers gained new insights into the mechanisms some methane-feeding bacteria called methanotrophs (pictured) use to break down the toxin methylmercury. Credit: Andy Sproles/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy; Jeremy Semrau/Univ. of Michigan](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2021-09/OB3b_5Cu_5a01.jpg?h=535a555c&itok=FLOo_uRv)
A team led by ORNL and the University of Michigan have discovered that certain bacteria can steal an essential compound from other microbes to break down methane and toxic methylmercury in the environment.
![The Oak Ridge National Environmental Research Park encompasses a 20,000 acre area that includes Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Credit: Carlos Jones/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2021-09/2019-P16158_0.jpg?h=036a71b7&itok=_6tQ24p4)
Anyone familiar with ORNL knows it’s a hub for world-class science. The nearly 33,000-acre space surrounding the lab is less known, but also unique.
![Researchers at Colorado State University and ORNL evaluated 14 urban megaregions to simulate the effects of climate change on water resources. Credit: CSU/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2021-09/hydrology_map03_Kao_0.png?h=06037b31&itok=y1CKG8fX)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory worked with Colorado State University to simulate how a warming climate may affect U.S. urban hydrological systems.
![As the leader of ORNL’s Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Group, environmental scientist Teresa Mathews works to understand the impacts of energy generation on water and solve challenging problems, including mercury pollution. Credit: Carlos Jones/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2021-08/2021-P05311%5B10%5D%5B13%5D_0.jpg?h=f99713cc&itok=zd0wGqpx)
Moving to landlocked Tennessee isn’t an obvious choice for most scientists with new doctorate degrees in coastal oceanography.
![Researchers studying secondary metabolites in the fungus Aspergillus flavus, pictured, found unique mixes of metabolites corresponding to genetically distinct populations. The finding suggests local environmental conditions play a key role in secondary metabolite production, influencing the discovery of drugs and other useful compounds. Credit: Tomás Allen Rush/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy.](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2021-07/DSC0351.jpg?h=b2d9f031&itok=PNgYY5eW)
Scientists at ORNL and the University of Wisconsin–Madison have discovered that genetically distinct populations within the same species of fungi can produce unique mixes of secondary metabolites, which are organic compounds with applications in
![A research team led by ORNL’s Xiaohan Yang used a gene from agave to engineer higher yield, improved stress tolerance and greater carbon sequestration in tobacco plants. Credit: Carlos Jones/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2021-06/2019-P09831.jpg?h=39b94f55&itok=8O8d7xMb)
Scientists at ORNL have discovered a single gene that simultaneously boosts plant growth and tolerance for stresses such as drought and salt, all while tackling the root cause of climate change by enabling plants to pull more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
![Belinda Akpa applies her diverse expertise and high-performance computing to accelerate the drug discovery process and increase the chances of success when candidate molecules go to clinical trials. Credit: Carlos Jones/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2021-04/2021-P02772_1.jpg?h=0a8b6f8b&itok=seLu5znj)
Belinda Akpa is a chemical engineer with a talent for tackling big challenges and fostering inclusivity and diversity in the next generation of scientists.
![Rich Giannone uses bioanalytical mass spectrometry to examine proteins, the primary driver in biological systems.](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2021-04/2021-P02194_small.jpg?h=c6980913&itok=bc6MRBX6)
Rich Giannone uses bioanalytical mass spectrometry to examine proteins, the primary driver in biological systems.