University Research | U.S. DOE Office of Science (SC)

Scientists Unravel Root Cause of Plant Twists and Turns

Cornell University physicists and Boyce Thompson Institute plant biologists have uncovered a valuable plant root action, in that roots – when their downward path is blocked, as often occurs in rocky soil – display a “grow and switch” behavior.

Layered Graphene Beats the Heat

An international team of researchers, led by faculty at the University of Michigan, have found that a layered form of graphene can expel heat efficiently, which is an important feature for its potential applications in building small and powerful electronics.

Berkeley to Lead $12.3M Study of Crop Drought Tolerance

UC Berkeley is leading a $12.3 million project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy to examine the role of epigenetics in allowing plants to survive in drought conditions, an increasing concern for agriculture as the effects of climate change are felt in California and globally.

New Oregon Approach for 'Nanohoops' Could Energize Future Devices

University of Oregon scientists show that their nanohoops — known chemically as cycloparaphenylenes —efficiently absorb and distribute energy, and may find a place in solar cells, organic light-emitting diodes or as new sensors or probes for medicine.

Latest Experiment at Large Hadron Collider Reports First Results

One of the study leaders is MIT assistant professor of physics Yen-Jie Lee, who leads MIT’s Relativistic Heavy Ion Group, together with physics professors Gunther Roland and Bolek Wyslouch.

On the Precision Frontier: A New Calculation Holds Promise for New Physics

A team of theoretical high-energy physicists in the Fermilab Lattice and MILC Collaborations has published a new high-precision calculation that could significantly advance the indirect search for physics beyond the Standard Model (SM).

Rutgers and Brookhaven National Laboratory Get $12M for Advanced Materials Effort

The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded a four-year, $12 million grant to establish a new research center led by a Rutgers professor to accelerate the development of materials that improve energy efficiency and boost energy production.

Physicists Trace Origin of Electromagnetic Interaction to Dirac Equation

An international group of physicists has traced the origin of an electromagnetic interaction to the Dirac equation, a fundamental equation of quantum physics.

New Study Explains Near-Annual Monsoon Oscillations Generated by El Nino

A new research study by a team of climate researchers from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa explains for the first time the source of near-annual pressure and wind changes discovered previously in the Southeast Asian Monsoon system.

New Technique Removes Defects While Keeping Materials Strong

An international team of researchers, including Carnegie Mellon University, has developed a new technique called cyclic healing that uses repetitive, gentle stretching to eliminate pre-existing defects in metal crystals.

DOE Grant to Improve a Sustainable Biofuel Source

Colorado State University is one of 10 institutions in a $13.8 million research grant to improve sorghum as a sustainable source for biofuel production.

MSU to Accelerate Key Research Areas with Global Impact Initiative

The Global Impact Initiative will bolster areas in which MSU already has a strong foundation, such as plant science, engineering, physical science and STEM education, while expanding research in genomics, cybersecurity, computational science and precision medicine.