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

Split-Second Imaging Sheds Light on Biology’s Grand Questions

In a groundbreaking experiment with the world’s fastest camera, a team of physicists – led by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee – documented the fundamental processes of a chemical reaction unfolding in real time.

Evidence Shows Galactic Center's Gamma Rays Unlikely to Originate From Dark Matter

Bursts of gamma rays from the center of our galaxy are not likely to be signals of dark matter but rather other astrophysical phenomena such as fast-rotating stars called millisecond pulsars, according to two new studies, one from a team based at Princeton University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and another based in the Netherlands.

A Noble Calling: Ruthenium Nanoframes Open the Doors to Better Catalysts

Using a two-part process, a team of chemists, led by Xiaohu Xia from Michigan Technological University, has found a way to turn ruthenium into a nanoframe, a promising metal catalyst.

Flat Boron is a Superconductor

Rice University scientists have determined that two-dimensional boron is a natural low-temperature superconductor. In fact, it may be the only 2-D material with such potential.

Hydrogen Peroxide Extends its Reach

A group of researchers from the United Kingdom and the United States has developed a method of producing hydrogen peroxide on demand through a simple, one-step process.

Will Cars of the Future Run on Waste?

Researchers at UCLA have engineered a bacterial system that uses material from renewable sources such as agricultural waste, municipal waste, plant matter, cellulosic matter and even carbon dioxide to create the next generation of advanced biofuels.

New Discovery at UMass Amherst May Lead to More Efficient Solar and Opto-Electronic Devices

Chemists and polymer scientists collaborating at the University of Massachusetts Amherst report that they have for the first time identified an unexpected property in an organic semiconductor molecule that could lead to more efficient and cost-effective materials for use in cell phone and laptop displays.

UCI Maps Methane Leaks Across Los Angeles Basin

Hundreds of methane-emitting hot spots have been identified across the Los Angeles Basin, including a “clean ports” truck refueling facility near the Port of Long Beach, power plants, water treatment facilities, and cattle in Chino, according to new findings by the University of California, Irvine.

Physicists Create Magnetic 2-D Metal in Artificial Oxide Material

An international research group led by physicists at the University of Arkansas created magnetic two-dimensional metal in an artificial oxide material that could be used to make better transistors.

How Plants Protect Photosynthesis From Oxygen

New work from a team at Carnegie Science identified a protein needed for assembling the photosynthetic apparatus that may help us understand the history of photosynthesis back in the early days of life on Earth, a time when oxygen was not abundant in the atmosphere.

Remote Predictions of Fluid Flow in Fractures Possible with New Finding

A team of researchers at Purdue University have created a way to quickly and remotely evaluate fluid flow in subsurface fractures that could impact aquifers, oil and gas extraction, sequestration of greenhouse gases or nuclear waste and remediation of leaked contaminants.

Collaborative Study of Tundra Soil Demonstrates Vulnerability of Ecosystem to Climate Warming

Findings from one of the first comprehensive field studies by a collaborative team of researchers demonstrate the active layer microbiome of tundra soil was significantly altered after only 1.5 years of experimental warming—a rapid response demonstrating high sensitivity of this ecosystem to warming.