2003 Argonne News Releases and Features
Researchers guide light with metal nanoparticles
ARGONNE, Ill. (Dec. 26, 2003) — In the world of nanoscience, which is
scaled to widths of atoms and molecules, the miniscule dimensions make
it virtually impossible for light waves to be transmitted. This principle
explains why an everyday phenomenon such as light bending, or diffraction,
turns into a Herculean task when scientists try to harness its power
at the nanoscale level. More...
Ceramic membranes could help fuel hydrogen future
ARGONNE, Ill. (Dec. 19, 2003) — Ceramic membranes developed at
Argonne could bring fuel-cell cars closer to reality by efficiently and
inexpensively extracting hydrogen from fossil fuels. More...
Nobel Prize in physics awarded to Abrikosov at Stockholm ceremony
ARGONNE, Ill. (Dec. 10, 2003) — The 2003 Nobel Prize in physics was
awarded today to Alexei A. Abrikosov of the U.S. Department of Energy's
Argonne National Laboratory at a ceremony in Stockholm. Abrikosov shared
the prize with two colleagues for theories about how matter can show
bizarre behavior at extremely low temperatures. More...
Argonne, industry to tackle end-of-life vehicle recycling
ARGONNE, Ill. (December 2, 2003) — The "junk" from junked cars will
find new uses under a new research partnership for recycling plastics. More...
New catalyst could help diesels meet NOx deadlines
ARGONNE, Ill. (Nov. 28, 2003) — 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. More...
Faster tree growth may not stem global warming
ARGONNE, Ill. (November 21, 2003) — 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. More...
Researchers at APS make graphite hard as diamond
ARGONNE, Ill. (Nov. 14, 2003) — 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 may have found a way to turn ordinary soft lead into
a new, super-hard material that "looks" just like diamond. More...
Argonne researcher named to Scientific American 'Top 50' list
ARGONNE, Ill. (November 10, 2003) — Khalil Amine of the U.S. Department
of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory has been named by Scientific
American magazine as one of top 50 research leaders of 2003. The " Scientific
American 50" are recognized for their outstanding leadership and
capability in helping to make technology a constructive force for people
and societies around the world. More...
Nanoparticles eyed as biohazard treatment
ARGONNE, Ill. (Nov. 7, 2003) — 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. More...
Argonne scientist wins Humboldt Award
ARGONNE, Ill. (Nov. 7, 2003) — Valerii Vinokur, a senior scientist and
director of the Materials Theory Institute at Argonne National Laboratory,
has won a prestigious Humboldt Research Prize for his work in the area
of superconductivity and nanophysics. More...
Gamma camera eyed for security, medicine
ARGONNE, Ill. (Oct. 31, 2003) — 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. More...
Access Grid technology allows Native Americans to bridge digital divide
ARGONNE, Ill. (Oct. 24, 2003) — 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. More...
Oct. 15 meeting to discuss proposed biosafety lab
ARGONNE, Ill. (Oct. 9, 2003) — Representatives from the University of
Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory will speak and be available to
answer questions from the public on plans for a recently-funded facility
for research on infectious diseases. The public meeting is planned for
Wednesday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m. at Ashton Place, 341 75th Street, Willowbrook,
Ill. More...
Argonne scientist wins 2003 Nobel Prize for Physics
ARGONNE, Ill. (Oct. 7, 2003) — Alexei Abrikosov of the U.S. Department
of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory today shares the Nobel Prize
in physics with two colleagues for theories about how matter can show
bizarre behavior at extremely low temperatures. More...
APS X-rays reveal secrets of Mars' core
ARGONNE, Ill. (Sept. 26, 2003) — While astronomers peer at the
surface of Mars, now making its closest approach to Earth in 60,000 years,
scientists are learning the secrets of its deep interior using the
Advanced Photon Source at Argonne. More...
Battery powers tiny, implants that aid neurological disorders
ARGONNE, Ill. (Sept. 19, 2003) — 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. More...
Structure determined for critical SARS enzyme
ARGONNE, Ill. (Sept. 12, 2003) — Moving one step closer in the
battle against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), 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. More...
Symposium examines aerosols from World Trade Center collapse
ARGONNE, Ill. (Sept. 5, 2003) — Contaminants from the collapse of the
World Trade Center in New York City two years ago hit the city in two
waves, according to researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne
National Laboratory, who are organizing a presentation on research results. More...
Argonne, NASA team up on shuttle safety
ARGONNE, Ill (Aug. 29, 2003) — Argonne is collaborating with National
Aeronautics and Space Administration to
develop a method of inspecting the leading-edge thermal protection system
for Space Shuttle wings. Researchers in Argonne's Energy
Technology Division have been conducting tests on shuttle wings since
April and are working to meet an early fall deadline to provide two to
three of their best potential investigation methods. More...
Huge underground detector may explain matter-antimatter riddle
ARGONNE, Ill. (Aug. 22, 2003) — 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. More...
Argonne transforms college students into science teachers
ARGONNE, Ill. (Aug. 15, 2003) — In an effort to improve science education
in both elementary and high school, an undergraduate internship program
at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory is transforming
budding teachers into scientists. More...
Three Argonne technologies win R&D 100 awards
ARGONNE, Ill. (Aug. 8, 2003) — Three technologies developed or co-developed
at Argonne have been recognized with R&D 100 Awards, which highlight
some of the best products and technologies from around the world. More...
Precise nuclear measurements give clues to astronomical X-ray bursts
ARGONNE, Ill. (July 11, 2003) — 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. More...
Argonne scientists win top superconductivity awards
ARGONNE, Ill. (June 19, 2003) — Two top prizes in the field of superconductivity
have been awarded to scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy's
Argonne National Laboratory. More...
Gammasphere featured in new 'Hulk' movie
ARGONNE, Ill. (June 12, 2003) — Gammasphere, a nuclear physics instrument
now at Argonne National Laboratory, plays a supporting role in the new
science-fiction thriller "The Hulk." More...
Winners named in Argonne exhibit contest
ARGONNE, Ill. (June 5, 2003) — Two teams have tied for first place in
an interactive-exhibit design contest sponsored by the U.S. Department
of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory. A team from Maine East High
School in Park Ridge and a team from Delphi Community High School in
Delphi, Ind. took the top honors. More...
Roosevelt Middle School heads to national Science Bowl
ARGONNE, Ill. (June 4, 2003) — A team of students from Roosevelt Middle
School in River Forest will represent the Chicago region at the National
Middle School Science Bowl in Golden, Colo. June 25-28. More...
Advanced Life Sciences licenses promising technology from Argonne
ARGONNE, Ill. (May 21, 2003) — Advanced Life Sciences (ALS) 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. More...
New cancer-fighting drugs possible through studies at Argonne
ARGONNE, Ill. (May 16, 2003) — 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. More...
Research offers clues to Alzheimer's plaques
ARGONNE, Ill. (May 2, 2003) — 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. More...
Roosevelt leads regional Science Bowl; part 2 of competition set for
May 3
ARGONNE, Ill. (April 18, 2003) — A team of students from Roosevelt Middle
School in River Forest took the top spot in the academic contest portion
of the 2003 Chicago Regional Middle School Science Bowl, sponsored by
the U.S. Department of Energy and Argonne National Laboratory. More...
Joint research to help U.S. steel industry
ARGONNE, Ill. (April 11, 2003) — 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. More...
Fremd High School wins state championship Rube Goldberg contest
ARGONNE, Ill. (April 7, 2003) — A team of students from William Fremd
High School has won the state championship Rube Goldberg machine contest,
held April 5 at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. More...
Argonne software helps emergency responders plan and prepare
ARGONNE, Ill. (April 4, 2003) — 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. More...
Electric field provides 'handle' to manipulate tiny particles
ARGONNE, Ill. (March 25, 2003) — 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. More...
Morgan Park wins 8th annual Rube Goldberg machine contest
ARGONNE, Ill. (March 7, 2003) — Morgan Park Academy, Chicago, today
won Argonne National Laboratory's eighth annual Rube Goldberg machine
contest held at Chicago Children's Museum on Navy Pier. More...
Conference encourages young women to explore scientific and technical
careers
ARGONNE, Ill. (Feb. 27, 2003) — The U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne
National Laboratory will host the 16th annual Science Careers in Search
of Women conference, Thursday, March 13. More...
Argonne researchers create powerful stem cells from blood
ARGONNE, Ill. (Feb. 24, 2003) — 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. The
finding may eventually offer researchers a practical alternative to the
use of embryonic stem cells for research, drug discovery, and transplantation. More...
Finalists named in student design contest at Argonne
ARGONNE, Ill. (Feb. 24, 2003) — Nine teams of high school students have
made it to the second round in a design contest sponsored by the U.S.
Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory. The students have
been challenged to design interactive exhibits that demonstrate the scientific
principles of synchrotron X-ray science. The best designs will be used
for displays at the lab's Advanced Photon Source (APS). More...
Argonne, NASA-Ames researchers build new biological machines
ARGONNE, Ill. (Feb. 14, 2003) — 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. More...
Students challenged to can simplicity, build complex recycling machines
ARGONNE, Ill. (Feb. 6, 2003) - Argonne's eighth annual Rube Goldberg
Machine Contest challenges 12 teams from Chicago-area high schools to
build machines that take at least 20 steps to select and crush an empty
12-oz. aluminum soft drink can and move it into a recycling bin. More...
Argonne sponsors regional Science Bowl
ARGONNE, Ill. (Jan. 29, 2003) — Argonne National Laboratory and the
U.S. Department of Energy will sponsor the 2003 Chicago Regional Middle
School Science Bowl to be held during two separate contests this spring. More...
Field Museum, Argonne discover insect breathing mechanism
ARGONNE, Ill. (January 24, 2003) - 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. More...
Globus Toolkit 3.0 delivers Grid standards
SAN DIEGO (Jan. 13, 2003) — Grid computing takes a major step forward
today with the first implementation of emerging standards known as the
Open Grid Services Architecture (OGSA). The Globus Project ™ issued its
alpha release of the Globus Toolkit 3.0 (GT3), a set of open-source software
and services whose earlier versions have transformed the way on-line
resources are shared across organizations. More...
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