Filter News
Area of Research
- (-) National Security (6)
- (-) Nuclear Science and Technology (5)
- Advanced Manufacturing (1)
- Biology and Environment (3)
- Clean Energy (43)
- Computer Science (2)
- Electricity and Smart Grid (3)
- Functional Materials for Energy (1)
- Fusion and Fission (3)
- Isotope Development and Production (1)
- Isotopes (4)
- Materials (7)
- Materials for Computing (1)
- Neutron Science (3)
- Quantum information Science (1)
- Sensors and Controls (1)
- Supercomputing (8)
News Topics
- (-) Grid (6)
- (-) Space Exploration (5)
- 3-D Printing/Advanced Manufacturing (6)
- Advanced Reactors (12)
- Artificial Intelligence (12)
- Big Data (6)
- Bioenergy (4)
- Biology (5)
- Biomedical (4)
- Biotechnology (1)
- Buildings (1)
- Chemical Sciences (2)
- Climate Change (5)
- Computer Science (21)
- Coronavirus (3)
- Cybersecurity (19)
- Decarbonization (3)
- Energy Storage (2)
- Environment (6)
- Exascale Computing (1)
- Frontier (1)
- Fusion (9)
- High-Performance Computing (4)
- Isotopes (5)
- Machine Learning (12)
- Materials (2)
- Materials Science (6)
- Molten Salt (4)
- Nanotechnology (1)
- National Security (34)
- Neutron Science (9)
- Nuclear Energy (40)
- Partnerships (4)
- Physics (3)
- Quantum Science (1)
- Security (11)
- Simulation (1)
- Summit (2)
- Sustainable Energy (4)
- Transformational Challenge Reactor (3)
- Transportation (2)
Media Contacts
![Tristen Mullins. Credit: Carlos Jones/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2023-06/mullins_0.jpg?h=dab30fcb&itok=dsFGJyMz)
Tristen Mullins enjoys the hidden side of computers. As a signals processing engineer for ORNL, she tries to uncover information hidden in components used on the nation’s power grid — information that may be susceptible to cyberattacks.
![A team led by Raymond Borges Hink has developed a method using blockchain to protect communications between electronic devices in the electric grid, preventing cyberattacks and cascading blackouts. Credit: Genevieve Martin/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2022-11/Blockchain%20Raymond%20portrait.jpg?h=c6980913&itok=g5Hnz0h2)
Although blockchain is best known for securing digital currency payments, researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory are using it to track a different kind of exchange: It’s the first time blockchain has ever been used to validate communication among devices on the electric grid.
![Thomaz Carvalhaes. Credit: Carlos Jones/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2022-09/2022-P06032_0.jpg?h=252f27fa&itok=A2HrJ-y6)
In human security research, Thomaz Carvalhaes says, there are typically two perspectives: technocentric and human centric. Rather than pick just one for his work, Carvalhaes uses data from both perspectives to understand how technology impacts the lives of people.
![ORNL research scientist Christa Brelsford explained a mathematical framework she developed in 2018, which showed increased availability of infrastructure didn’t necessarily reduce inequality in its access. Credit: Carlos Jones/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2022-04/image001.jpg?h=1579b22a&itok=XzIna_Uc)
Unequal access to modern infrastructure is a feature of growing cities, according to a study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
![A selfie from the Curiosity rover as it explores the surface of Mars. Like many spacecraft, Curiosity uses a radioisotope power system to help fuel its mission. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2020-09/Curiousity_1.jpg?h=86a9dded&itok=Jo0vD321)
Radioactive isotopes power some of NASA’s best-known spacecraft. But predicting how radiation emitted from these isotopes might affect nearby materials is tricky
![Pu-238 pellet drawing](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2020-07/Plutonium_Illustration_Blur.png?h=b6236d98&itok=wvSAbP64)
After its long journey to Mars beginning this summer, NASA’s Perseverance rover will be powered across the planet’s surface in part by plutonium produced at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
![Smart Neighborhood homes](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2020-01/04.09.TD-SMartHome_0.jpg?h=5b5a5437&itok=22S5Tle1)
To better determine the potential energy cost savings among connected homes, researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory developed a computer simulation to more accurately compare energy use on similar weather days.
![Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists have developed an experiment for testing potential materials for use in interplanetary travel. The experiment exposes prototype materials to temperatures over 2,400 degrees Celsius with only 300 watts of input electrical power. Credit: Carlos Jones, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Dept. of Energy](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2019-11/2019-P14907%5B2%5D_0.jpg?h=036a71b7&itok=qX3QY9Pm)
If humankind reaches Mars this century, an Oak Ridge National Laboratory-developed experiment testing advanced materials for spacecraft may play a key role.
![As part of a preliminary study, ORNL scientists used critical location data collected from Twitter to map the location of certain power outages across the United States.](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/2019-02/PowerOutageTweets_map_0.png?h=6448fdc1&itok=AUit-O2Y)
Gleaning valuable data from social platforms such as Twitter—particularly to map out critical location information during emergencies— has become more effective and efficient thanks to Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
![Nuclear—Deep space travel Nuclear—Deep space travel](/sites/default/files/styles/list_page_thumbnail/public/Screen%20Shot%202018-12-19%20at%2010.29.32%20AM.png?itok=hq0dlVIf)
By automating the production of neptunium oxide-aluminum pellets, Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists have eliminated a key bottleneck when producing plutonium-238 used by NASA to fuel deep space exploration.