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

Wealth of Unsuspected New Microbes Expands Tree of Life

Researchers have discovered more than 1,000 new types of bacteria and Archaea over the past 15 years lurking in Earth’s nooks and crannies, dramatically rejiggering the tree to account for these microscopic new life forms.

Nanotubes Line Up to Form Films

Rice University researchers, with support from Los Alamos National Laboratory, have discovered a way to make highly aligned, wafer-scale films.

Gold Star: Seeking the Origin of Gold in the Universe

Michigan State University researchers, working with colleagues from Technical University Darmstadt in Germany, are zeroing in on the answer to one of science’s most puzzling questions: Where did heavy elements, such as gold, originate?

Nanocrystal Self-Assembly Sheds its Secrets

Researchers at MIT find a new approach gives a real-time look at how the complex structures form.

Perfecting a Viral Pack Mule

A new study at The Scripps Research Institute shows that a hollowed-out version of cowpea mosaic virus could be useful in human therapies.

Lehigh Scientists Extend the Reach of Single Crystals

Materials scientists and physicists at Lehigh have demonstrated a new method of making single crystals that could enable a wider range of materials to be used in microelectronics, solar energy devices and other high-technology applications.

Scientists Say Many Plants Don't Respond to Warming as Thought

Researchers have completed the most comprehensive global study of its kind, finding that increases in plant respiration may not be as big as previously estimated.

Taking a Close Look at Metal 3-D Printing

Professor Tony Rollett and graduate students recently analyzed samples at Argonne National Laboratory to gain insight on 3-D printed metals. Improving the internal structure of 3-D printed metal parts is one of the several challenges that need to be met in order for this manufacturing process to be adopted in a more mainstream way.

Spinning Better Electronic Devices

A team of researchers, led by a group at the University of California, Riverside, have demonstrated for the first time the transmission of electrical signals through insulators in a sandwich-like structure, a development that could help create more energy efficient electronic devices.

VCU Study Marks Potential Breakthrough in Search for Better Lithium and Magnesium Ion Batteries

New Virginia Commonwealth University research demonstrates how to stabilize a multiply charged anion (negative ion), a fundamental research question and one that could help in the development of better lithium and magnesium ion batteries.

Illinois Scientists Dig Deeper to Build a Better Permafrost Model

Scientists from the University of Illinois report they have found a way to improve predictions of permafrost area and stability in the northern high latitudes.

Engineering a Better Heat Pump

With help from the University of Delaware, Xergy Inc., a high-tech startup in Seaford, Delaware, recently announced an innovative refrigeration system based on an electrochemical compressor to replace the conventional mechanical vapor compression systems found in typical heat pump units.