Unexpected results from a neutron scattering experiment at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory could open a new pathway for the synthesis of novel materials and also help explain the formation of complex organic structures observed in interstellar space. In a paper published in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition, the multi-institutional team of…

With the production of 50 grams of plutonium-238, researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have restored a U.S. capability dormant for nearly 30 years and set the course to provide power for NASA and other missions. Plutonium-238 produces heat as it decays and can be used in systems that power spacecraft…

Exploding stars may seem like an unlikely yardstick for measuring the vast distances of space, but astronomers have been mapping the universe for decades using these stellar eruptions, called supernovas, with surprising accuracy. Type Ia supernovas–exploding white dwarf stars–are considered the most reliable distance markers for objects beyond our local group of galaxies. Because all…

Researchers at the Department of Energy‘s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a new method to manipulate a wide range of materials and their behavior using only a handful of helium ions. The team’s technique, published in Physical Review Letters, advances the understanding and use of complex oxide materials that boast unusual properties such as…

For the first time, industry and policymakers have a comprehensive report detailing the U.S. hydropower fleet’s 2,198 plants that provide about 7 percent of the nation’s electricity. The 98-page report by the Department of Energy‘s Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers Rocio Uria-Martinez, Patrick O’Connor and Megan Johnson is a resource that describes key features of…