The US joins an international collaboration to build ITER, a project aiming to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of clean fusion energy. Fusion energy could provide significant amounts of electricity and generate hydrogen for fuel cell vehicles.
The DOE's SciDAC-2 program awards $60 million annually to 30 computational science projects over three to five years, focusing on designing new materials, developing future energy sources, and studying global climate change. The programs aim to accelerate scientific discovery through advanced computing and establish nine Centers for En...
The US Department of Energy is launching two new Bioenergy Research Centers to accelerate basic research on the development of cellulosic ethanol and other biofuels. The centers will focus on systems biology research on microbes and plants, with the goal of harnessing nature's own mechanisms for producing energy from sunlight.
The US Department of Energy has released a research roadmap for developing cellulosic ethanol, a renewable and carbon-neutral fuel source. The plan aims to overcome challenges in producing low-cost, high-efficiency cellulosic ethanol from biomass.
The US Department of Energy's INCITE program has awarded 18 million hours of supercomputing time to 15 teams for various research projects. These projects include simulating aircraft design, studying Parkinson's Disease, and understanding climate change.
The ARM Mobile Facility (AMF) will collect atmospheric data on absorbing aerosols from desert dust in the dry season and deep convective clouds during the summer monsoon. This information will help improve model simulations of global climate and increase understanding of the influence of the West African Monsoon.
The USDA and DOE are coordinating plant and microbial genomics research to address national agriculture and energy challenges. The DOE Joint Genome Institute will sequence the soybean genome, which is of particular interest due to its role in producing biodiesel.
The DOE is awarding $92 million to develop biology-based solutions to energy and environmental challenges. The funding supports six research projects that aim to harness the diverse capabilities of microbes and microbial communities to address DOE's mission needs.
The Genomics: GTL Roadmap outlines a plan to explore microbial DNA sequences to produce new science needed for clean energy and environmental needs. The roadmap will spur growth in industrial biotechnology sector, using microbes for processes and products that can serve as an engine for economic competitiveness.
The Office of Science program matches displaced students and faculty researchers with host grant recipients, providing financial assistance to continue research at other institutions. Displaced individuals can indicate their interest on a clearinghouse website and receive case-by-case consideration for modest supplemental funding.
The report identifies key areas of focus for improving solar energy technologies, including artificial molecular machines, smart materials, and nanotechnology-based solar cells. It also highlights the importance of basic research in addressing the nation's energy security needs.
The DOE's Multiscale Mathematics program addresses scientific problems spanning multiple time scales and length scales, funding over 100 researchers across the US. The program aims to develop new multiscale mathematics algorithms and analysis to support research in fuel cell design, accelerator design, combustion processes, and materia...
A new $1.4 million ARM Mobile Facility is stationed near the beach to collect data on marine stratus clouds, which are thin, low-level clouds that cover the sky like a blanket. The facility will gather data on cloud properties, suspended particles and other atmospheric variables to analyze aerosol effects.
The Science.gov Alert Service sends weekly emails to patrons' desktops on their specified topics of interest. Patrons can set up an account and let Science.gov do the searching for them, with results displayed in email alerts and personalized Alert Archives.
The artificial retina project aims to restore vision in blind individuals by capturing visual signals and transmitting them to the brain. The device is a miniature disc with an electrode array that stimulates optical nerves, enabling users to see large letters and differentiate between objects.
The US Department of Energy has announced seven winners of the prestigious E.O. Lawrence Award, honoring researchers who have made significant contributions to various fields of science and energy. The award recipients include Nathaniel Fisch for his work on fusion tokamaks, Bette Korber for her HIV research, Claire Max for her astroph...
The US Department of Energy has funded two Fusion Science Centers, one at the University of Maryland/UCLA and the other at the University of Rochester. The centers will focus on fundamental issues in fusion plasma science and provide education and training for researchers and students.
The new center aims to develop scientific principles for nanoscale materials and integrate them into larger systems. It will provide researchers with state-of-the-art capabilities to explore, fabricate, and study nanoscale materials.
Science.gov 2.0 enhances the interagency science portal, searching 47 million pages of government R&D results in relevancy-ranked order. The new metasearch technology brings together the 30 largest databases, making them searchable via a single query.
The US Department of Energy is developing a new supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to enhance the nation's computing capability for complex simulations. The system will be open to researchers worldwide and enable breakthroughs in various science disciplines.
The discovery of 1.2 million new genes in Sargasso Sea microbes has significant implications for carbon sequestration and alternative energy production. The genes are part of the larger Genomics: GTL program, which aims to develop innovative solutions to address national energy needs.
The DOE's Office of Science has developed a strategic plan outlining seven short-term priorities and seven long-term goals in various scientific disciplines. The plan aims to track progress over the next 20 years and ensure US leadership in science, energy, and environment.
Researchers have decoded the genome of Geobacter sulfurreducens, a microorganism that can clean up uranium contamination by precipitating radionuclides and metals from groundwater. The discovery opens up new strategies for bioremediation and the potential to generate electricity through bio-batteries.
Scientists have successfully synthesized a bacteriophage genome, paving the way for larger microbes to consume CO2 and pollutants. The Institute for Biological Energy Alternatives aims to harness microbiomes to produce fuels and reduce atmospheric carbon emissions.
Two researchers, Bahcall and Davis, will share an award for their groundbreaking work on neutrino physics, a field that revolutionized our understanding of the universe. Dr. Sack will receive an award for his crucial role in ensuring the reliability of nuclear weapons, thereby contributing to national security.
The Department of Energy's national laboratories have received a total of 35 R&D awards, recognizing their cutting-edge technologies. The awards are shared among 11 laboratories and partner businesses and universities.
The award recognizes the vision and leadership of Francis Collins and Ari Patrinos in completing the human DNA sequence. Their collaboration between the Department of Health and Human Services' National Institutes of Health and the Department of Energy's Office of Science led to a groundbreaking biotechnology revolution.
The US Department of Energy has awarded $102 million in grants to small businesses for innovative research projects focused on energy, environmental, and national security. The selected companies will explore the feasibility of their proposed innovations over the next year and may apply for further funding.
The Department of Energy has awarded $9 million to IBEA, led by J. Craig Venter, to study microorganisms in the Sargasso Sea and explore their potential for producing hydrogen and reducing carbon dioxide emissions from energy sources like petroleum and coal.
The U.S. will participate in the ITER fusion project, aiming to develop commercial fusion energy and produce clean, abundant power. The collaboration, involving Canada, EU, Japan, Russia, and China, aims to demonstrate essential fusion technologies and test key elements for practical energy source deployment.
The US Department of Energy is supporting a project to develop an artificial retina that can capture visual signals and send them to the brain, restoring vision to patients with age-related macular degeneration or retinitis pigmentosa. The next-generation device aims to have 1,000 electrodes, allowing users to see images.
The projects will investigate low dose radiation effects on human cells, DNA repair, and respiratory cells. Funding is provided by the DOE Office of Science's Office of Biological and Environmental Research and NASA's Space Radiation Health Program.
This year's winners include C. Jeffrey Brinker, Claire M. Fraser, Bruce T. Goodwin, Keith O. Hodgson, Saul Perlmutter, Benjamin D. Santer, and Paul J. Turinsky for their groundbreaking work in materials research, genome analysis, nuclear physics, environmental science, and more.