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Princeton University, Engineering School


AI approach elevates plasma performance and stability across fusion devices

A team of researchers from Princeton University and the US Department of Energy's PPPL have successfully deployed machine learning methods to suppress harmful edge instabilities in fusion devices. Their approach optimizes the system's suppression response in real-time, maintaining high plasma performance without sacrificing stability.

SourcePrinceton University, Engineering School·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 5, 2024

Charting a pathway to next-gen biofuels

Researchers at Princeton University have modeled a supply chain for second-generation biofuels, which are derived from agricultural waste or non-food crops and can produce more sustainable substitutes for fossil fuels. The study found that careful management of the supply chain could result in systems with lower costs and emissions imp...

SourcePrinceton University, Engineering School·JournalNature Energy·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMay 23, 2024

Caterbot? Robatapillar? It crawls with ease through loops and bends

Researchers at Princeton University and North Carolina State University have combined ancient paperfolding and modern materials science to create a soft robot that can bend and twist through mazes with ease. The new design allows the flexible robot to crawl forward and reverse, pick up cargo and assemble into longer formations.

SourcePrinceton University, Engineering School·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 6, 2024

Can language models read the genome? This one decoded mRNA to make better vaccines.

Researchers at Princeton University used language models to optimize partial genome sequences and create more effective mRNA vaccines. The model successfully generated hundreds of new sequences, validating its results through lab experiments, and outperforming benchmarks for vaccine development.

SourcePrinceton University, Engineering School·JournalNature Machine Intelligence·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 5, 2024

Flexible geothermal power approach combines clean energy with a built-in ‘battery’

A Princeton-led study found that flexible geothermal power can provide over 100 gigawatts of clean energy in the western US, surpassing the existing nuclear fleet. By leveraging enhanced geothermal's energy storage properties, plants can generate electricity on demand, complementing intermittent sources like solar and wind.

SourcePrinceton University, Engineering School·JournalNature Energy·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateFeb 19, 2024

Cellular scaffolding rewired to make microscopic railways

Princeton researchers create a system to control the growth of microtubule branches, enabling precise chemical transport and potential applications in soft robotics, new medicines, and biomolecular transport. The technique harnesses cellular scaffolding to build novel materials and technologies.

SourcePrinceton University, Engineering School·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 25, 2024

Most clean power purchasing strategies do little to cut emissions, study finds

A Princeton-led study found that most common clean energy procurement strategies are ineffective in reducing long-term emissions in the US. However, one approach called temporal matching can have a substantial effect when companies purchase clean energy hourly to match their real-time energy consumption.

SourcePrinceton University, Engineering School·JournalJoule·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJan 24, 2024

Ammonia fuel offers great benefits but demands careful action

Researchers at Princeton University found that an ammonia economy can help achieve decarbonization goals, but it poses risks if not managed properly. The widespread use of ammonia could lead to significant emissions of nitrous oxide and nitrogen oxides, affecting air quality, water quality, and ecosystems.

SourcePrinceton University, Engineering School·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateNov 13, 2023

A simpler way to connect quantum computers

A team of researchers at Princeton University has developed a new approach to building quantum repeaters, which are necessary for connecting quantum devices over long distances. The new device sends high-fidelity quantum information through fiber optic networks, enabling enhanced security and connections between remote quantum computers.

SourcePrinceton University, Engineering School·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 30, 2023

Wastewater sector emits nearly twice as much methane as previously thought

New research reveals that municipal wastewater treatment plants release significantly more methane into the atmosphere than previously estimated. The findings suggest that existing guidelines underestimate emissions equivalent to 5.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. Anaerobic digesters, used in some facilities, are particularly s...

SourcePrinceton University, Engineering School·JournalEnvironmental Science & Technology·DateFeb 28, 2023

One is bad enough: climate change raises the threat of back-to-back hurricanes

Research from Princeton University's engineering school finds that climate change is making sequential damaging hurricanes more likely, with areas like the Gulf Coast facing double hits as frequently as once every 3 years. Rising sea levels and increased precipitation are driving this trend.

SourcePrinceton University, Engineering School·JournalNature Climate Change·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateFeb 27, 2023

New technique reveals changing shapes of magnetic noise in space and time

Researchers at Princeton University have developed a new technique to measure the spatial structure and time-varying nature of magnetic noise. This breakthrough opens up new possibilities for understanding quantum spin liquids, materials with bizarre quantum behaviors that were previously difficult to analyze experimentally.

SourcePrinceton University, Engineering School·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 23, 2022

Without guidance, Inflation Reduction Act tax credit may do more harm than good

The article discusses how the Inflation Reduction Act's hydrogen production tax credit could backfire by increasing carbon pollution without proper implementation. To mitigate this, researchers suggest enforcing additional guidelines for clean energy procurement alongside the tax credit.

SourcePrinceton University, Engineering School·JournalEnvironmental Research Letters·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateDec 20, 2022

How do you treat untreatable infections? Do what the microbes do

Researchers at Princeton University have isolated a compound called cloacaenodin, which is a potent antibacterial peptide that can kill clinically relevant drug-resistant strains of Enterobacter. This discovery has significant implications for the treatment of bacterial infections and could lead to new antibiotic development.

SourcePrinceton University, Engineering School·JournalACS Infectious Diseases·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 15, 2022

After more than 300 years of study, researchers developed a new way to understand bacteria

A Princeton team invented a way to observe bacteria in 3D environments, finding that colonies consistently form intricate, branching shapes resembling broccoli. They discovered two factors causing these shapes: nutrient and oxygen availability, and the colony's internal structure.

SourcePrinceton University, Engineering School·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 19, 2022

Researchers unfolded elegant equations to explain the enigma of expanding origami

Engineers use origami to build devices that grow wider as they are pulled apart. Researchers from Princeton and Georgia Tech have developed a general formula analyzing how structures respond to stress, enabling the creation of origami structures with negative Poisson ratios.

SourcePrinceton University, Engineering School·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 23, 2022

Burying short sections of power lines would drastically reduce hurricanes’ future impact on coastal residents

Researchers at Princeton University found that burying 5% of power lines near main distribution points could reduce the number of affected residents by half. The study used Harris County, Texas, as an example and estimated that the risk of hurricane-blackout-heat wave events would increase 23 times by the end of the century under a

SourcePrinceton University, Engineering School·JournalNature Communications·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 17, 2022

Easy as an inkjet, a new soft printing technique has opened the way for pixelated elastics

Researchers at Princeton University developed a new pixel-by-pixel printing method that creates composite shapes, colors, and mechanical abilities using curable elastic polymers. The technique, inspired by inkjet printers, uses age-old fluid dynamics to fabricate precise and robust structures without complicated machinery.

SourcePrinceton University, Engineering School·JournalAdvanced Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 23, 2022

New method melds data to make a 3-D map of cells’ activities

Researchers developed PASTE, a method to analyze spatial transcriptomics data in three dimensions, enabling biologists to better understand cell environments and identify rare cell types. The technique can integrate information from multiple tissue slices, providing a more complete picture of gene expression within tissues.

SourcePrinceton University, Engineering School·JournalNature Methods·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 16, 2022

Study points to strategies for closing the participation gender gap in engineering courses

Researchers identified key factors contributing to the gender gap in engineering courses, including female instructors, peer participation, and icebreaker questions. The study suggests that these strategies can help increase women's participation and close the gap in STEM fields.

SourcePrinceton University, Engineering School·JournalIEEE Transactions on Education·TypeObservational study·DateMar 22, 2022