Argonne-West occupies about 900 acres about 50 miles west of Idaho Falls in the Snake River Valley. It is the home of most of Argonne's major nuclear reactor research facilities. About 800 of Argonne's employees work there.

Underground physics: Searching for neutrinos in deep places

15 April 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory A new physics experiment combines thousands of tons of steel plates, a powerful particle accelerator and 450 miles of solid rock to reveal the secrets of a particle that sometimes seems to barely exist.

Setting the stage to find drugs against SARS

15 April 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory have set the stage for the rapid identification of compounds to fight against severe acquired respiratory syndrome, the atypical pneumonia responsible for about 800 deaths worldwide since first recognized in late 2002. Researchers from Brookhaven’s biology department and the National Synchrotron Light Source characterized a component of the virus that will be the target of new anti-SARS virus drugs.

Structure determined for critical SARS enzyme

08 April 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Moving one step closer in the battle against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, researchers from a California company using the powerful X-rays at the Advanced Photon Source have determined the first structure of the main protease from the coronavirus that causes SARS. A protease is a viral enzyme critical in the SARS life cycle.

New study of tree roots will alter carbon-sequestration models

08 April 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Using a new carbon tracing method, Argonne ecologists and their colleagues have determined that life spans of fine tree roots are much longer than expected and differ according to the species. The fine roots of pine trees last four to six years, while sweetgum roots have shorter life spans of 1.3 to three years.

Innovative software tools keep electrical markets humming

07 April 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Flip a switch and the power goes on. That is a hallmark of modern industrial life. Yet in August 2003, 50 million people around the Great Lakes and New England were without power, some for 30 hours. And in 2001, California was plagued with regular black- and brown-outs, in part related to serious transmission bottlenecks, as the state struggled through electricity deregulation.

Battery powers tiny, implants that aid neurological disorders

07 April 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory A new miniature battery is powering tiny, implantable devices that could help millions who suffer from a variety of neurological disorders, such as urinary urge incontinence.

Access Grid technology allows Native Americans to bridge digital divide

06 April 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory It was the sudden appearance of cutting-edge Internet technology that first created a 'digital divide' between Native Americans and the rest of the United States. Now, thanks to Argonne National Laboratory's Access Grid project, a group seeking to preserve Native American culture is putting technology to work in hopes of bridging that gap.

Nanoparticles eyed as biohazard treatment

05 April 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Nanoparticles may someday come to the rescue of people exposed to chemical, biological or radiological hazards. Argonne researchers are in the early testing stages of a system that would cleanse the blood of contaminants using tiny magnetic particles and a portable, external magnetic separator.

Researchers at APS make graphite hard as diamond

04 April 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Science has yet to achieve the alchemist's dream of turning lead into gold. But a group of researchers using the Argonne's Advanced Photon Source (APS) may have found a way to turn ordinary soft lead into a new, super-hard material that 'looks' just like diamond.

Nanotube water doesn't freeze, even at hundreds of degrees below zero

04 April 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory A new form of water has been discovered by physicists in Argonne's Intense Pulsed Neutron Source Division. Called nanotube water, these molecules contain two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom but do not turn into ice, even at temperatures near absolute zero.

New hydrogen sensor faster, more sensitive

03 April 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory The same kind of chemical coating used to shed rainwater from aircraft and automobile windows also dramatically enhances the sensitivity and reaction time of hydrogen sensors. Hydrogen sensor technology is a critical component for safety and other practical concerns in the proposed hydrogen economy. For example, hydrogen sensors will detect leaks from hydrogen-powered cars and fueling stations long before the gas becomes an explosive hazard.

Faster tree growth may not stem global warming

03 April 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory A new study, published today in Science, indicates that the potential for soils to soak up atmospheric carbon dioxide is strongly affected by how long roots live. Large differences in root replacement rates between forest types might alter current predictions of how carbon absorption by soil will act to ameliorate global warming from excess human-caused carbon dioxide.

New catalyst could help diesels meet NOx deadlines

02 April 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory A new catalyst could help auto makers meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's deadline to eliminate 95 percent of nitrogen-oxide from diesel engine exhausts by 2007, while saving energy.

Argonne-designed instruments vital in RHIC discovery

02 April 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Argonne researchers played a significant role in research that led to the surprising finding of a possible ideal liquid instead of the expected quark-gluon plasma at Brookhaven National Laboratory's Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider.

Argonne, industry to tackle end-of-life vehicle recycling

01 April 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory The 'junk' from junked cars will find new uses under a new research partnership for recycling plastics. A five-year cooperative research agreement brings together the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, the American Plastics Council and the Vehicle Recycling Partnership of USCAR, a consortium of DaimlerChrysler Corp., Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp. The agreement will build on recycling technology developed at Argonne to create a cost-effective process for recycling end-of-life vehicles.

Argonne's near-frictionless carbon coatings find new use

01 April 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory A research collaboration between the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and the Kurt J. Lesker Company will study the durability of nearly frictionless carbon surface coatings in high-performance, vacuum environments.

Argonne research could lead to cooler aluminum production

31 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and NorandaFalconbridge, Inc. are developing a way to produce aluminum at significantly reduced temperatures. The collaborative research effort could eventually lead to significant reductions in the energy costs and emissions of greenhouse gases associated with aluminum production.

Ceramic membranes could help fuel hydrogen future

31 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Ceramic membranes developed at Argonne could bring fuel-cell cars closer to reality by efficiently and inexpensively extracting hydrogen from fossil fuels. 'Ceramic membranes make possible the widespread use of hydrogen,' said senior ceramist Balu Balachandran. 'Hydrogen is a fuel of choice for the future. This technology provides the means to get there.' Balachandran is section manager of the ceramics section in Argonne's Energy Technology Division.

Researchers explore confinement of light with metal nanoparticles

30 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory are making strides towards understanding and manipulating light at the nanoscale by using the unusual optical properties of metal nanoparticles, opening the door to microscopic-sized devices such as optical circuits and switches.

Water cleanup is for the birds

30 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory In an environmental restoration effort that will benefit birds and humans alike, scientists in Argonne's Environmental Research Division are helping to restore a wetland wildlife sanctuary near Utica, Neb., while cleaning up the town's contaminated groundwater. This is the first time that spray irrigation, commonly used on farms, has been used to restore both groundwater and wetlands.

DISSCO makes music for Argonne, UIUC researchers

29 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory A mathematician and a musician have teamed up to create a new computer program that both composes music and creates the instrumentation to play it. The software is available for free from SourceForge.net.

Counting atoms that aren't there, in stars that no longer exist

29 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have reached for the stars, and seen what's inside. Argonne scientists, in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Chicago, Washington University and the Universita di Torino in Italy, examined stardust from a meteorite and found remnants of now-extinct technetium atoms made in stars long ago.

75-year-old molecular-chemistry reaction-rate problem solved

28 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory A 75-year-old problem in molecular chemistry has been solved by a team of researchers from Argonne and several other institutions. For the first time, theory and experiment have converged, enabling chemists to predict the rate of a chemical reaction with near-perfect accuracy.

Argonne researchers becoming nation's experts in lithium-battery technology

28 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Next-generation soldiers will wear vests with a battery to power the many high-tech devices that modern soldiers use in battle. Argonne, the nation's expert in lithium battery research, is developing the materials and cell chemistry for that battery.

New technology could fuel biorefinery growth

27 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and Archer Daniels Midland Co. are developing a separative bioreactor that efficiently turns sugar from corn into valuable chemicals. The technology could help bio-based chemicals replace large amounts of petrochemicals, thereby reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil, benefiting rural economies and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

New technique dates Saharan groundwater as million years old

27 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory The Sahara Desert was once a lush, green landscape dotted with lakes and ponds. Evidence of this past verdancy lies hidden beneath the sands of Egypt and Libya, in the form of a huge aquifer of fresh groundwater. An international team of geologists and physicists has found that this groundwater has been flowing slowly northward (at about the rate grass grows) for the past million years. Their findings are published in the March issue of Geophysical Research Letters.

Electricity controls nanocrystal shape

26 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Wires, tubes and brushes make it possible to build and maintain the machines and devices we use on a daily basis. Now, with help from a surprising source, these same building blocks can easily be created on a scale 10,000 times smaller than the period at the end of this sentence.

New bioreactor could pave way for chemical feed stocks from biomass

26 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory When Argonne biochemical engineer Seth Snyder drives past a corn field on the outskirts of Chicago, he sees the potential to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil while benefiting rural economies. Snyder and his colleagues in Argonne's Energy Systems Division are partners with agribusiness giant Archer Daniels Midland Co., Decatur, Ill., in a cooperative research and development agreement to develop a technology that turns corn sugars into valuable chemicals.

SAMM to boost microscopy capabilities

25 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory The U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory will soon be home to a new Sub-Angstrom Microscopy and Microanalysis facility, which will house four cutting-edge electron microscopes. Construction is underway and is expected to be complete next summer.

X-ray method speeds study of mineral-water interfaces

25 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have taken the guesswork out of interfacial structure determination. Their work is published in the April 10 issue of Surface Science Letters.

First 3-D look at diesel particles gives clues to cleaner engines

24 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory In the first use ever of a new three-dimensional technique to study diesel engine emissions, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory developed information that could lead to improved exhaust-cleaning devices, ways for industry to meet environmental regulations, and new insights on the impact to public health from diesel engine emissions.

Inspection technologies protect and enhance materials for power plants

24 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory In modern healthcare, doctors use imaging tools, such as X-ray computed tomography, magnetic resonance and ultrasound, to see beneath the patient's skin without making a single incision. Researchers in Argonne's Energy Technology Division are adapting these and other technologies to evaluate critical components of modern energy systems that push the limits to achieve maximum efficiency.

Split beamlines can double research capacity at Advanced Photon Source

23 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory A new beamline dedicated this summer at the Advanced Photon Source sets a new standard for structural biology research at synchrotrons. The GM/CA CAT facility exploits the latest technology to double the number of beamlines and create finer X-ray beams to capture data from hard-to-study biomolecules.

Argonne to play major role in new computer facility

23 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory The U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory will play a major role in the development of a new national computational science facility aimed at deploying a supercomputer capable of sustained performance of 100 trillion floating-point operations per second.

Argonne, U of Wisconsin engineers visualize electric memory as it fades

22 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory While the memory inside electronic devices may often be more reliable than ours, it too can worsen over time. Now a team of scientists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory may understand why. The results are published in the June 6 edition of the journal Nature Materials.

Argonne researchers create new diamond-nanotube composite material

22 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have combined the world's hardest known material, diamond, with the world's strongest structural form, carbon nanotubes. This new process for “growing” diamond and carbon nanotubes together opens the way for its use in a number of energy-related applications.

Diamond nanotube technology promises new electronics products

21 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory The newest promising material for advanced technology applications is diamond nanotubes, and research at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory is giving new insight into the nature of nanodiamond.

Studies on electric polarization open potential for tinier devices

21 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and Northern Illinois University have shown that very thin materials can still retain an electric polarization, opening the potential for a wide range of tiny devices.

Researchers use x rays to visualize the sloshing of electrons in water molecules

20 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Researchers used x rays to visualize the sloshing of electrons in water molecules. They then calculated the wake of electron motion that would surround a gold ion moving through the fluid.

Stable, bright X-ray beam provides better data

20 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory What a difference a decade makes. Ten years ago the Advanced Photon Source produced its first light. Since then the APS has focused on continuous improvement to provide the best beamlines for science research. Its accelerator physicists pioneered a technique called 'top-up' to replenish the particle beam for optimal beam performance. The APS provides the most brilliant X-ray beams in the Western Hemisphere for research, and the beams are extremely stable and reliable.

Argonne, Notre Dame begin new nuclear theory initiative

19 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Physicists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Notre Dame have begun a new collaborative project to explore and explain the physics of rare nuclear isotopes.

Nanoparticles, super-absorbent gel clean radioactivity from porous structures

19 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Porous structures, such as brick and concrete, are notoriously hard to clean when contaminated with certain types of radioactive materials. Now, thanks to researchers in Argonne's Chemical Engineering Division, a new technique is being developed that can effectively decontaminate these structures in the event of exposure to radioactive elements.

Scientists determine structure of staph, anthrax enzyme

18 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago have determined the crystal structure of sortase B, an enzyme found in the bacteria that cause staph and anthrax. While an antibiotic is probably five to seven years away, the structure could provide the first clue in developing a treatment for the infections.

GREETing a cleaner, more energy-efficient future

18 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory With gas prices soaring, the fuel and vehicle options open to Americans are more varied than ever. But what fuel and vehicle combination provides the lowest total emissions with the highest energy efficiency?

Rapid cooling technology could aid surgery patients, heart attack victims

17 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory A promising new approach to saving stroke and cardiac arrest victims is also being investigated as a technique to improve laparoscopic surgery. Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago have developed a specially engineered ice slurry that cools organs, allowing doctors more time to treat patients.

Flying nanotubes are strong and hard

17 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Diamonds are the hardest known substance. Carbon nanotubes are the strongest. Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory tried to combine the best of both worlds by creating a composite nanostructure. They wanted to grow tiny carbon tubes with tiny diamonds.

Proteins can be attached to diamond layer to create bio-sensors

16 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory In research that may lead to revolutions in bio-sensing and biomedical implants, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have pioneered a process to affix organic molecules to the surface of a thin layer of diamond.

Recycling automotive plastics is profitable and good for the environment

16 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Recycling is not just good for the environment, it is good for business. Argonne researchers have developed a technology to successfully recover plastic from obsolete automobiles that may add plastic to the list of valuable materials recycled from old cars and trucks.

Argonne researchers discover keys to improving commercial magnet technology

15 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Permanent magnets are important in a broad variety of commercial technologies, from car starters to alternators for wind power generation to computer hard drives. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have found new clues to making those magnets longer-lasting and more powerful.

Energy Technology researchers solve energy and medical problems

15 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Argonne's Energy Technology Division provides innovative materials and engineering solutions to national energy challenges that range from energy production and conservation to transportation. Researchers also find creative ways to re-use and extend the value of their discoveries.

Historic research division continues to push nuclear frontiers

14 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory The building housing Argonne's Chemical Engineering Division was named a Nuclear Historic Landmark this summer by the American Nuclear Society. The award recognizes the division's significant contributions to the development, implementation and peaceful use of nuclear technology.

Mixed metals not so mixed up at the nano-level

14 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory With the help of the Western Hemisphere's most brilliant hard X-ray beams at the Advanced Photon Source, scientists have seen for the first time metal atoms near the surface of a liquid alloy arrange themselves in alternating layers one atom thick.

Argonne researchers confirm lead as cause of Beethoven's illness

13 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have found massive amounts of lead in bone fragments belonging to 19th Century composer Ludwig von Beethoven, confirming the cause of his years of chronic debilitating illness.

Accelerator Systems Division keeps nation's brightest X-rays beaming

13 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Argonne is home to the Advanced Photon Source, this hemisphere's most brilliant source of X-rays for scientific research. The Accelerator Systems Division maintains the equipment to provide optimal X-ray quality with few interruptions to scientists. Researchers come from a variety of disciplines and from industry, academia and national and international laboratories. Research at this national facility, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Basic Energy Sciences, ranges from materials science to structural biology. Recent findings include:

Gammasphere on a roll

12 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Gammasphere, the world's most sensitive gamma-ray detector, is already a seasoned traveler, having crossed the United States from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to Argonne by truck, but the 20-ton instrument has recently gone truly mobile and can now be moved around the experiment hall in Argonne-East's Building 203 to meet the needs of physicists.

First vortex chains observed in engineered superconductor

12 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory They look like tiny swirling dust devils on the surface of the superconductor: 'vortices' that appear where magnetic fields interact with the material. Unlike harmless dust devils, however, vortices can sap a superconductor's ability to transmit current without resistance.

Elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide increases carbon retention in soil

11 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, with collaborators from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Kansas State University and Texas A&M University, have shown that soils in temperate ecosystems might play a larger role in helping to offset rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations than earlier studies had suggested. Results of the new study are published in the current issue of Global Change Biology.

Nanomaterials break out of laboratory into marketplace

11 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Miniature medical machines that can bring sight to the blind and computers that work at the speed of light are no longer the stuff of futuristic novels. Argonne National Laboratory researchers are creating nanomaterials and nanotechnology to make these and other innovations possible, and collaborating with industry to bring new technologies to the marketplace.

Argonne plays important role in development of artificial retina

10 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory A collaborative research and development agreement signed today between the U.S. Department of Energy and Second Sight LLC will help bring hope to hundreds of thousands of Americans who are losing their sight to degenerative retinal diseases.

Biologists and computer scientists join forces to lead biology revolution

10 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Just as computers assist detectives in finding people by comparing fingerprints from crime scenes with millions in databases, Argonne scientists are using computers to mine genetic information from pathogens, people and plants. This information is essential to progress in medical science and biotechnology.

Gold's glitter not the same at the nanoscale

09 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have found that gold 'shines' in a different way at the nanoscale, and the insights may lead to new optical chips for computers or for switches and routers in fiber networks.

Transportation research takes multi-pronged approach to clean fuels, engines

09 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Cleaner, more efficient engines are at the top of the nation's transportation technology goals. To improve the nation's economy, environment and energy security, researchers in Argonne's Energy Systems Division work with engines ranging in size from small auto engines to 10-foot-tall single-cylinder diesel locomotive engines.

New method studies living bacteria cells

08 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have found a new way to study individual living bacteria cells and analyze their chemistry.

APS X-rays reveal the real chemistry behind mercury mixed in mustard agent

08 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory The U.S government's effort to dispose of mustard agent from the 1940s by incinerating it was halted when workers discovered that hundreds of containers of the agent were contaminated with mercury. Researchers at Argonne and the University of Chicago used the Advanced Photon Source to determine how mercury behaves in simulant agent, a chemical that structurally resembles mustard but lacks its toxic properties. The goal is to find disposal methods that do not release toxic mercury to the environment.

New nano-finding points to new computer technologies based on magnetic spin

07 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory An unusual pool of scientific talent at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, combined with new nanofabrication and nanocharacterization instruments, is helping to open a new frontier in electronics, to be made up of very small and very fast devices.

Most precise measurement ever made of helium-6 charge radius

07 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Researchers in Argonne's Physics Division teamed up to conduct the most precise measurement ever made of the charge radius, one aspect of the size, of the Borromean nucleus of helium-6.

Sandwich clusters may improve magnetic memory storage

06 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory A new type of molecular magnet known as a “sandwich cluster” is being studied under a joint research collaboration between the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, the University of Chicago and Keio University in Japan.

1,000 structures that improve understanding of human & environmental health

06 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Researchers at the Structural Biology Center at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have contributed their 1,000th structure to the Protein Data Bank. The data bank houses the molecular structures of all proteins characterized so far and makes them available to researchers worldwide to study.

RERTR program reduces use of enriched uranium in research reactors worldwide

05 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Argonne National Laboratory provides overall technical integration for the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors program, managed by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration to convert research and test reactors across the globe to low enriched uranium fuel, a material that cannot be diverted for direct use in nuclear weapons.

TEAM designs world's highest resolution microscope

05 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory The country's best microscopists are teaming up to build the highest resolution microscope in the world, and researchers in Argonne's Materials Science Division are playing a lead role.

Research opportunities expand at nation's premier X-ray facility

04 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory The Advanced Photon Source, located at Argonne National Laboratory and the premier hard X-ray research facility in the nation, each year hosts thousands of experimenters who carry out research that impacts nearly every aspect of our lives. Now, the outlook for this essential U.S. Department of Energy-funded program is even brighter as changes in the way scientists access the APS are significantly increasing opportunities for experimentation.

Traveling space particles reveal secrets of comets

04 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory And now, particles of comet dust that traveled from the far reaches of the solar system to Earth are traveling the United States, including a stop at the Advanced Photon Source at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory. Scientists there are studying the particles to learn more about comets and possibly the creation of our planet.

Argonne researchers couple chemistry, large-scale computing for combustion calculations in a flash

03 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Chemists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have brought together advances in theoretical chemical kinetics and high-performance computing to speed research in the chemistry of fuel combustion that may lead to cleaner more efficient combustion devices. The scientists developed a new approach to predict the rates of chemical reactions that greatly increases efficiency while maintaining accuracy, cutting costs and allowing research on larger molecules.

New method for studying protein structure could advance drug development

03 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Structural changes in proteins can now be seen in increased detail, using a new application of an existing technique. The application, developed at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, could help produce lead drugs for disease therapy.

Glass gives up secrets under pressure

02 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Glass is a mysterious material, but when researchers apply pressure, it reveals secrets. Using a variety of techniques, researchers at Argonne National Laboratory saw for the first time ever, the atomic structure of a dense, purely octahedral glass that has eluded scientists for decades. They also witnessed a continuous structural change in the glass, disproving the theory that tetrahedral glasses go through a distinct transition between low- and high-density phases.

New sensor technology detects chemical, biological, nuclear and explosive materials

02 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Engineers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, using an emerging sensing technology, have developed a suite of sensors for national security applications that can quickly and effectively detect chemical, biological, nuclear and explosive materials.

New record set for smallest X-ray nano-spot

01 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory An award-winning device developed at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory has set a world's record for tiny spot size with a hard X-ray beam.

X-ray movies reveal insect flight, muscle motion

01 March 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Watching flies fly may not seem like high-tech science, but for researchers using the Western Hemisphere's most brilliant X-rays, produced by the Advanced Photon Source at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, it not only helps explain how insects fly but also may someday aid in understanding human heart function.

Export control helps prevent WMD proliferation

28 February 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory While inspecting a container ship docked at a major transshipment hub, an alert official, trained weeks before by Argonne export control specialists, noted that 20 of the containers onboard contained tons of sodium sulfide – a controlled chemical that has many legitimate uses such as leather tanning but could also be used to create chemical weapons.

New environmental chamber aids nano-studies of metal oxides

28 February 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory A new environmental chamber constructed by Argonne's Materials Science Division allows researchers to watch materials as they grow step-by-step while interacting in elevated-temperature, reactive-gas environments. The first experiment in the new chamber revealed intriguing information about how copper oxidizes at the nano-level and established a new basic model for understanding oxidation.

Argonne researchers find 217 new targets for anti-cancer drugs

27 February 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory By identifying novel genes critical to cancer progression, biologists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have expanded the number of drug targets researchers have available for study to find ways to stop tumors in their tracks. The report is published today in Cancer Research.

Gamma camera eyed for security, medicine

27 February 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory A device originally developed for nuclear physics research may find applications in homeland security and medicine. A “Compton Camera” being developed at Argonne could be used to create detailed images of radioactive materials, from smuggled weapons to “tracers” used in nuclear medicine.

New materials provide insight into radioactivity in environment, self-assembling nanostructures

26 February 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory A new class of materials that could enhance basic understanding of how radioactive materials behave in the environment has been discovered by researchers from the University of Notre Dame and Argonne National Laboratory. Called actinyl peroxide compounds, these materials self-assemble into nano-sized, hollow cages that could have useful new electronic, magnetic and structural properties important to the emerging world of nanotechnology.

Novel approach to studying cancer cells could reduce therapy side effects

26 February 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory New cancer therapies with minimal side effects could result from a novel approach to studying cancer cells underway at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory. This research could also lead to new medications for diseases, such as eczema, macular degeneration and rheumatoid arthritis, which involve pathological capillary formation.

Diet plan helps travellers avoid jet lag

25 February 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory With the summer travel season beginning, travelers who need to beat jet lag can learn how by visiting www.AntiJetLagDiet.com online. This Web site offers the most comprehensive free information anywhere on the Internet about how to use the famous Anti-Jet-Lag Diet, developed by biologists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory.

High-performance computing aids calculations of combustion kinetics

25 February 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Even though combustion provides 85 percent of the energy humans use, little is known about many of its most basic chemical reactions. Researchers in Argonne's Chemistry Division have brought together advances in theoretical chemical kinetics and high-performance computing to speed research in the chemistry of fuel combustion.

Protein structure may lead to treatment for infection targeting cystic fibrosis patients

24 February 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have determined the structure of a key protein believed to play a role in a deadly infection that afflicts the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients. This finding, published in today's issue of Science, may lead to a new drug to treat the bacterial infection.

Membrane protein factory may lead to new drug treatments

24 February 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Biologists at Argonne have engineered and patented a bacterial factory that enables the study of membrane proteins. These proteins are challenging to study, but critical to understand because they represent 60 percent of drug targets. Studies of membrane proteins could lead to new and improved pharmaceutical treatments for a broad range of illnesses such as depression, heart disease, addictions and cystic fibrosis.

Carbon nanotube building blocks open up possibilities for advanced electronics

23 February 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory A new method to systematically modify the structure of single-walled carbon nanotubes could expand their electronic properties and open the path to nano-electronics.

First images made of hydrogen burning in working internal combustion engine

23 February 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Images of hydrogen combustion have been captured for the first time in an internal combustion engine operating at real-world speeds and loads by engineers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory. This window into the inner workings of a hydrogen-powered engine is helping to optimize the engines for street use some day

Liquid alloy shows solid-like crystal structure at surface

22 February 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory A substance used in nanotechnology contains unusual structures at its surface, a team of researchers led by Oleg Shpyrko, Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellow at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory has learned.

Water quality improvements likely using new understanding of ion interaction

22 February 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have discovered new ways that ions interact with mineral surfaces in water, opening a door to new knowledge on how contaminants travel in the environment. The insight, published in today's issue of Physical Review Letters, leads to a better understanding of the factors that determine water quality.

Award-winning design will make better paper

21 February 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Cheaper and more energy-efficient paper production could result from an innovation developed at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory. Multiport dryer technology, which won an R&D 100 award from R&D magazine as one of the top 100 scientific and technological innovations in the world improves the process of paper drying, the final step in paper production.

Diamond technology to revolutionize mobile communications

21 February 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory The U. S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory has teamed with industrial and academic partners under a DARPA Phase II research and development program to develop a new technology based on Ultrananocrystalline Diamond, a novel material developed at Argonne that will enable diamond resonators and oscillators to be directly integrated with microelectronics chips for next-generation telecommunication devices.

Research at Argonne helps Abbott Labs develop anti-HIV drug

20 February 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Back in 1996, when the Advanced Photon Source at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory first turned on its brilliant beam of X-rays, scientists from around the world were excited by the possibilities. Now, 10 years later, one of those “possibilities” is saving thousands of lives.

Latest enhancements to the free Access Grid Toolkit are now available for download

20 February 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory A new version of the free and popular Access Grid Toolkit developed at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, is now available for download. The Access Grid Toolkit is software that uses audio, video, data and text to enable distributed researchers to work together as if they were at the same location.

Software package coordinates response to biological threats

19 February 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Having the necessary information at hand is key to saving lives in any biological event, whether it be flu or a biological release. Argonne scientists are using their skills in software integration to provide a decision-making system for state and local emergency managers.

Spinning new theory on particle spin brings science closer to quantum computing

19 February 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Physicists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have devised a potentially groundbreaking theory demonstrating how to control the spin of particles without using superconducting magnets, a development that could advance the field of spintronics and bring scientists a step closer to quantum computing.

Nanoexa, Decktron to collaborate with Argonne on commercialization of next generation batteries

18 February 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory NanoeXa, a leading nanotechnology-based clean energy company, and Decktron, a lithium battery and display company, today jointly announced a definitive agreement to develop and transfer into commercial use new lithium battery technology originally developed at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory.

Award-winning grids and collimators produce better X-ray and nuclear images

17 February 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory A grid as little as three millimeters tall could save lives by helping X-rays and radiotracers provide clearer diagnostic images of the human body. These X-ray anti-scatter grids and nuclear collimators, developed by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and Creatv MicroTech, Inc., won an R&D 100 Award from R&D Magazine, identifying it as one of the top scientific and technological innovations in the world introduced as a product during.

Biodegradable nanospheres offer novel approach for treatment of toxin exposure & drug delivery

16 February 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory A new technology to clean the blood of victims of radiological, chemical and biological terrorist attacks is being developed jointly by Argonne National Laboratory, the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute and The University of Chicago Hospitals.

Award-winning alloys could reduce costs for chemical and petrochemical industries

15 February 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Materials developed by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory could provide large cost and energy savings to the chemical and petrochemical industries.

New technique breaks nanometer barrier in X-ray microscopy

14 February 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory A new X-ray microscopy technique that observes molecular-scale features less than a nanometer in height has been developed by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory in collaboration with Xradia, Inc. By combining X-ray reflection with high-resolution X-ray microscopy, scientists can now study interactions at the nanometer-scale, where materials often exhibit new properties. A better understanding of interactions at the nanoscale promises to help cure the sick, protect the environment and make the nation more secure.

New software enables rapid response to time-critical emergencies

13 February 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago demonstrated a new specialized software system at Supercomputing 2006 that provides computational resources quickly for emergency applications affecting public health, safety and security. This new system, called SPRUCE (Special PRiority and Urgent Computing Environment), supports urgent computing on both traditional supercomputers and distributed computational Grids.

Biochip technology could become standard diagnostic tool for human, veterinary medicine

12 February 2007 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory have developed a biochip technology system that may one day become a standard diagnostic tool for identifying human and veterinary infectious diseases.

Huge underground detector may explain matter-antimatter riddle

22 August 2006 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Twenty years ago, Argonne scientists began tinkering around in a historic iron mine in Minnesota, looking for the theoretically predicted phenomenon of proton decay. They didn't find it, but they did find something only a very few other physicists had seen, atmospheric neutrino oscillations, the shifting of the tiny neutral particles from one type to another as they travel.

Precise nuclear measurements give clues to astronomical X-ray bursts

11 July 2006 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Argonne physicists have precisely measured the masses of nuclear isotopes that exist for only fractions of a second or can only be produced in such tiny amounts as to be almost nonexistent in the laboratory. Some isotopes had their masses accurately measured for the first time.

Gammasphere featured in new Hulk movie

12 June 2006 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Gammasphere, a nuclear physics instrument now at Argonne National Laboratory, plays a supporting role in the new science-fiction thriller 'The Hulk.' In the movie, Gammasphere bombards a scientist with radiation in a catastrophic accident, transforming him into a powerful green juggernaut. During the filming of the movie, Gammasphere was located at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, which plays the part of the Berkeley Institute for Nuclear Studies in the movie, but the detector has now been returned to Argonne and is back in operation.

New sensor technology can detect trace chemicals at the part-per-billion level

20 April 2006 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Engineers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, using an emerging sensing technology, have developed a suite of sensors for national security applications that can quickly and effectively detect chemical, biological, nuclear and explosive materials.

Gold 'glitters' in new ways at the nanoscale

04 January 2006 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Researchers at the US Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have found that gold 'shines' in a different way at the nanoscale, and the insights may lead to new optical chips for computers or for switches and routers in fiber networks.

Argonne researchers discover keys to improving commerical magnet technology

18 November 2005 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have found new clues into ways to make those magnets longer-lasting and more powerful.

Argonne theorist gains new insight into the nature of nanodiamond

09 September 2005 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory The newest promising material for advanced technology applications is diamond nanotubes, and research at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory is giving new insight into the nature of nanodiamond.

Argonne researchers create new diamond-nanotube composite material

30 August 2005 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Researchers at the US Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have combined the world's hardest known material – diamond – with the world's strongest structural form – carbon nanotubes.

New era for high-pressure materials research at Advanced Photon Source

26 July 2005 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory A great boost in high-pressure research, a fast moving field in modern science, took place today with the dedication of the newest research facility at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory.

Hydrogen sensors are faster, more sensitive

26 May 2005 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory The same kind of chemical coating used to shed rainwater from aircraft and automobile windows also dramatically enhances the sensitivity and reaction time of hydrogen sensors.

Advanced Life Sciences licenses promising technology from Argonne

21 May 2005 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Advanced Life Sciences has licensed a promising proteomics-based technology from Argonne National Laboratory. The license involves a compound called ALS-499 that has demonstrated activity in the laboratory toward inhibiting amyloid protein aggregation that is characteristic of the development of several diseases, including Alzheimer's and type-2 diabetes.

New cancer-fighting drugs possible through studies at Argonne

16 May 2005 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Proteins that could lead to drugs that stop tumor growth and cancer have been identified by biologists studying capillary formation, or angiogenesis, at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory.

Research offers clues to Alzheimer's plaques

02 May 2005 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Researchers from Argonne and the University of Chicago have developed methods to directly observe the structure and growth of microscopic filaments that form the characteristic plaques found in the brains of those with Alzheimer's Disease.

Glass reveals secrets under pressure

13 December 2004 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Glass is a mysterious material, but when researchers apply pressure, it reveals secrets. Using a variety of techniques, researchers at the US Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory saw for the first time ever, the atomic structure of a dense, purely octahedral glass that has eluded scientists for decades.

Joint research to help U.S. steel industry

11 April 2004 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Argonne National Laboratory has joined a $1.29 million project that will make U.S. steel companies more competitive and maximize furnace life. The U.S. steel industry produces more than 100 million tons of steel annually. Blast furnaces that convert iron into molten iron are crucial components of steel companies, many of which are located in northwest Indiana. Because of aging technology, Indiana's steel industry is losing its competitive edge.

Argonne software helps emergency responders plan and prepare

04 April 2004 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory In today's challenging world of new and complex threats, emergency responders at all levels need ways to effectively create and coordinate response plans. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have developed a powerful new tool to help those on the frontlines plan for and carry out their duties in the event of a large-scale emergency.

Electric field provides handle to manipulate tiny particles

25 March 2004 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Intricate patterns formed by granular materials under the influence of electrostatic fields have scientists at Argonne National Laboratory dreaming of new ways to create smaller structures for nanotechnologies.

Electricity controls nanocrystal shape

17 March 2004 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Wires, tubes and brushes make it possible to build and maintain the machines and devices we use on a daily basis. Now, with help from a surprising source, these same building blocks can easily be created on a scale 10,000 times smaller than the period at the end of this sentence.

Globus Toolkit 3.0 delivers Grid standards

13 January 2004 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Grid computing takes a major step forward today with the first implementation of emerging standards known as the Open Grid Services Architecture. The Globus Project issued its alpha release of the Globus Toolkit 3.0, a set of open-source software and services whose earlier versions have transformed the way on-line resources are shared across organizations.

Tiny device can detect hidden nuclear weapons, materials

21 June 2003 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory A small, portable detector for finding concealed nuclear weapons and materials has been developed by the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory.

Argonne researchers create powerful stem cells from blood

24 February 2003 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory The particularly powerful, and very scarce, flexible forms of stem cells needed for medical research and treatment may now be both plentiful and simple to produce, with a new technology developed at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, and the source is as close as your own bloodstream.

Argonne, NASA-Ames researchers build new biological machines

14 February 2003 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Building on tiny organisms, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory are helping to create a new generation of tiny machines for electronic and photonic devices.

Field Museum, Argonne discover insect breathing mechanism

24 January 2003 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory A surprising new insect breathing mechanism similar to lung ventilation in vertebrates has been discovered by scientists at The Field Museum and the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory.

Argonne researchers study challenges of bioreduction

14 November 2002 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have discovered that using bacteria to remediate uranium-contaminated groundwater may not be as simple as originally thought. Their work was reported in a recent issue of Nature.

Star search made easier with Argonne tool

08 November 2002 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Analyzing the billions and billions of data collected from digital sky surveys has been an overwhelming task for scientists, but researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago are conquering it.

Nano technology leads to big changes in DNA research

04 October 2002 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory New gene therapy procedures, DNA-based sensors, and other medical applications may be possible using a new method developed to initiate and control chemical reactions on DNA strands by the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory.

NIH Institutes sign agreement for biology research at Argonne

18 March 2002 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory An agreement to build new biological research capabilities at Argonne National Laboratory's Advanced Photon Source was signed today by Argonne officials and the directors of two institutes of the National Institutes of Health.

Argonne, NEC and Bell Labs discover new antiferromagnet imaging technique

08 February 2002 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory Researchers from Bell Labs, NEC Research Institute, Inc. and Argonne National Laboratory have created an image of antiferromagnetism within a solid material, using a new technique that could lead to more cost-efficient evolution of advanced magnetic recording materials and technologies.

EPA adopts Argonne computer model for environment management projects

29 January 2002 - DOE/Argonne National Laboratory A new approach to solving complex computer modeling and simulation problems, developed at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, will help the Environmental Protection Agency develop models for ecosystems and assess environmental health.