2007 Argonne News Releases and Features

New thermal-imaging technique may help victims of head and neck cancers

ARGONNE, Ill. (December 26, 2007) — Thanks to an innovative, non-invasive imaging technique, patients with head-and-neck cancers may soon be able to anticipate how severe their reaction to treatment will be. More...

Hybrid semiconductors show zero thermal expansion, could lead to hardier electronics and optoelectronics

ARGONNE, Ill. (Dec. 19, 2007) – Recently published research by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory, and academic institutions has shed light on a semiconducting material with zero thermal expansion. More...

Argonne, UIC researchers get the dirt on prairie soil

ARGONNE, Ill. (Dec. 7, 2007) — Researchers from Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Illinois at Chicago have dug up some interesting dirt on prairie soil and certain crops and grasses common to the central Midwest. More...

New Theory and Computing Sciences Building to be constructed at Argonne National Laboratory

ARGONNE, Ill. (Dec. 4, 2007) – The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory announced today that a new Theory and Computing Sciences Building will be constructed at the laboratory, solidifying the fastest growing research program in its history. More...

Argonne transportation experts to present research at 23rd electric vehicle meeting

ARGONNE, Ill. (Nov. 30, 2007) – Researchers from Argonne National Laboratory's Transportation Technology R&D Center (TTRDC) will present 11 papers during the Electric Vehicle Symposium-23 that will be held in Anaheim, Calif., from Dec. 2-5. More...

Argonne bolsters efforts in security research

ARGONNE, IL — (Nov. 28, 2007) The U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory has expanded its capabilities to protect U.S. interests at home and abroad. More...

Argonne's nuclear energy research moves toward greater reliance on computer simulation

ARGONNE, Ill. (Nov. 27, 2007) — The U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory is taking its nuclear energy research into new territory – virtual territory, that is. More...

New T-ray source could improve airport security, cancer detection

ARGONNE, Ill. (Nov. 23, 2007) — Going through airport security can be such a hassle. Shoes, laptops, toothpastes, watches and belts all get taken off, taken out, scanned, examined, handled and repacked. But "T-rays", a completely safe form of electromagnetic radiation, may reshape not only airport screening procedures but also medical imaging practices. More...

New Argonne supercomputer makes 'Top 500' list

ARGONNE, Ill. (Nov. 21, 2007) – A new high-performance computer cluster at the Center for Nanoscale Material at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory is number 150 on the list of the world's 500 fastest computers. More...

Argonne teams with industry to promote PHEV R&D

ARGONNE, Ill. (Nov. 12, 2007) — The U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory has teamed up with several industrial partners, including some of America's largest automakers, to promote research and development of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. More...

Powerful Blue Gene/P supercomputer at Argonne to address most-challenging science problems

ARGONNE, Ill. (Nov. 9, 2007) — One of the world's fastest supercomputers will soon reside at the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, thanks to a recently completed contract for the acquisition of a 445-teraflops IBM Blue Gene/P cluster. More...

Argonne scientists use unique diamond anvils to view oxide glass structures under pressure

ARGONNE, Ill. (Nov. 9, 2007) – Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have used a uniquely constructed perforated diamond cell to investigate oxide glass structures at high pressures in unprecedented detail. More...

Distant black holes may be source of high-energy cosmic rays

ARGONNE, Ill. (Nov. 9, 2007) – Breakthrough astrophysics research may have established the hitherto mysterious source of exceptionally high-energy cosmic ray emissions, according to recently published research that culminates a project developed by a scientist at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory. More...

Argonne chemist Joe V. Michael awarded distinction of AAAS Fellow

ARGONNE, Ill. (Nov. 7, 2007) – Joe V. Michael, a senior chemist at Argonne National Laboratory, has been awarded the distinction of AAAS Fellow. Election as a Fellow is an honor bestowed upon members of the American Association for the Advancement of Science by their peers. More...

Heavier hydrogen on the atomic scale reduces friction

ARGONNE, Ill. (Nov. 2, 2007) — Scientists may be one step closer to understanding the atomic forces that cause friction, thanks to a recently published study by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Houston and the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory. More...

Research predicts size-induced transition to nanoscale half-metallicity

ARGONNE, Ill. (Nov. 2, 2007) — How big does a cluster of metal atoms actually have to be before it starts acting like a metal: ductile, malleable and a conductor? More...

Argonne's green Blue Gene/P gets more muscle to address most challenging scientific problems

ARGONNE, Ill. (Nov. 1, 2007) – IBM and the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory today announced completion of a contract for a 445-teraflops Blue Gene/P system for the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility. More...

Argonne to host joint meeting on transforming science, engineering education

ARGONNE, Ill. (Oct. 29, 2007) – Argonne National Laboratory will be abuzz November 2 and 3 with 500 to 600 university students and faculty members, and computer information sciences professionals engaged in science and technology education during a joint meeting of the 18th Annual Argonne Symposium for Undergraduates in Science, Engineering and Mathematics; The Central States Universities, Inc., Research Conference; and the Computer Information Sciences and Engineering (CISE) Stakeholders Summit. More...

New system could provide safer, cheaper, more detailed mammograms

ARGONNE, Ill. (Oct. 26, 2007) — A new ultra-high resolution mammography system that detects cancerous tumors with higher-quality images, more efficient radiation exposures and lower cost has been developed by a team of U.S. and German scientists. More...

Argonne's Walter Henning receives award from German president

ARGONNE, Ill. (Oct. 25, 2007) – Noted physicist Walter F. Henning of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory has received a prestigious award from the president of Germany in recognition of Henning's contributions to physics research in that country. More...

Argonne to be featured on PBS' Nightly Business Report

ARGONNE, Ill. (Oct. 25, 2007) — PBS' Nightly Business Report (NBR) has plans to air a segment about Argonne National Laboratory as part of a series on the "nuclear renaissance," the potential comeback of nuclear energy in this country as a source for electrical power. The segment featuring Argonne is scheduled to air at 11:30 p.m. Wednesday,  Oct. 31, on WTTW-TV Channel 11 in Chicago. More...

Media advisory on nuclear facilities

ARGONNE, Ill. (Oct. 19, 2007) – As previously announced in July 2007, Argonne National Laboratory ceased experimental work at one of its nuclear facilities pending evaluation of operational issues. Based on comprehensive cost/benefit analyses, Argonne has made a decision not to pursue necessary upgrades required for resumption of experimental work at these facilities. More...

Argonne National Laboratory acquires first SiCortex SC5832

Maynard, Mass. (Oct. 16, 2007) — SiCortex, the first company to engineer a Linux® cluster from the silicon up, today announced that the first production model of an SC5832, its flagship 5.8 teraflop system, will be installed at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory near Lemont, Ill. More...

Fab Labs make manufacturing personal

ARGONNE, Ill. (Oct. 12, 2007) — To build a treehouse, you'll need a hammer, some nails, and a tolerance for splinters. To print treehouses, however, you'll probably need a Fab Lab. More...

Compression of metallic glasses sheds light on phase transitions

ARGONNE, Ill. (October 11, 2007) – Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have identified an unusual variation in the compressibility of an unusual class of metals in research that may shed light on the electrodynamics of amorphous materials. More...

Nobel laureate conducted research at Argonne

ARGONNE, Ill. (Oct. 9, 2007) — Peter Grünberg, who shares the 2007 Nobel Prize in physics, conducted part of his groundbreaking research on magnetoresistive materials at Argonne in 1984 and 1985. Grünberg visited Argonne while a research scientist at the Institute of Solid State Research at Research Centre Jülich, Germany. More...

Argonne helps China create cleaner Beijing for 2008 Olympics

ARGONNE, Ill. (Oct. 8, 2007) – The U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory is working closely with Chinese scientists and policy makers toward the goal of creating a cleaner Beijing and developing sustainable technologies for the 2008 Olympic Games and beyond. More...

New research sheds light on shimmering superconductivity and the courtship of electrons

Argonne, Ill. (Oct. 3, 2007) – In their normal state, electrons repel each other because of their charge, but in the state of superconductivity, electrons pair up. John Schlueter, a chemist from the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, collaborated with a team of researchers from the University of Oxford to better understand how this unlikely courtship occurs. More...

Argonne's Center for Nanoscale Materials is fully operational

ARGONNE, Ill. (Oct. 2, 2007) – The Center for Nanoscale Materials at the Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, one of the premier nanoscience research facilities in the world, has been declared fully operational. More...

Argonne researcher studies what makes quantum dots blink

Argonne, Ill. (Oct. 1, 2007) – In order to learn more about the origins of quantum dot blinking, researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, the University of Chicago and the California Institute of Technology have developed a method to characterize it on faster time scales than have previously been accessed. More...

Self-assembling 'magnetic snakes' point to new electronic devices

ARGONNE, Ill. (Sept. 28, 2007) — “Magnetic snakes” with unique dynamic and magnetic properties that may usher in new generations of recording media, conductors and microfluidic devices have been created by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory. More...

Physicists propose new method of measuring the weak interaction

ARGONNE, Ill. (Sept. 28, 2007) — A particular class of hydrogen atoms may prove ideal for the study of one of the four fundamental forces of physics, according to research performed at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory. More...

Argonne physicists create landmark accelerator gradient

ARGONNE, Ill. (Sept. 14, 2007) — The Argonne Wakefield Accelerator Group works on particle accelerators in much the same way that horsepower junkies work on muscle cars. Although their research doesn't involve turbochargers, stall torque converters or cat back exhaust systems, the AWA group obsesses over the power of their machine. More...

Researchers improve ability to write and store information on electronic devices

ARGONNE, Ill. (Sept. 13, 2007) – New research led by the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory physicist Matthias Bode provides a more thorough understanding of new mechanisms, which makes it possible to switch a magnetic nanoparticle without any magnetic field and may enable computers to more accurately write and store information. More...

New scientists join Argonne's Center for Nanoscale Materials

Argonne, Ill. (Sept. 6, 2007) – Two new scientists have joined the Center for Nanoscale Materi at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory. Elena Rozhkova and Elena Shevchenko are contributing their expertise to the NanoBio Interfaces Group. More...

New instrument covertly detects signals from illicit chemicals

ARGONNE, Ill. (August 31, 2007) – A new award-winning innovation developed at the Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory can covertly detect chemical plumes at great distances and may help thwart future chemical or nuclear-based terrorist attacks. The technology has a number of other uses, as well, from detecting environmental pollution to determining the extent of tissue damage in burn victims without physical contact. More...

Argonne receives cost-shared DOE grants to improve light-vehicle fuel efficiency

ARGONNE, Ill. (August 30, 2007) – Two Argonne-based research-and-development projects have been selected to receive grants from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as part of an effort to improve the fuel efficiency of light-duty vehicle engines while promoting collaboration between researchers in government labs, universities and industry. More...

Argonne scientists take giant step forward in understanding exotic nuclei

ARGONNE, Ill. (Aug. 29, 2007) – Developing good predictive powers of how all nuclei work is critical to advance our understanding of the universe. The vast nuclear landscape, which is thought to consist of about 6,000 isotopes is not well charted and half the nuclei remain unknown. More...

Hispanic engineering organization honors two Argonne researchers

ARGONNE, Ill. (Aug. 27, 2007) – Two researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory won coveted 2007 achievement awards from the Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Award Corporation (HENAAC). More...

h-index recognizes Argonne's Foster as one of the world's three most influential computer scientists

ARGONNE, Ill. (August 24, 2007) – Argonne computer scientist Ian Foster has been recognized as one of the top three most influential computer scientists worldwide, according to a new formula that measures the impact of a scientist's work. More...

Argonne scientist to give the plenary talk at Royal Society of Chemistry meeting on nanoalloys

ARGONNE, Ill. (Aug. 23, 2007) – Julius Jellinek, a senior scientist at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, will deliver the plenary talk of the Faraday Discussion Meeting 138 on Nanoalloys: From Theory to Application, to be held on September 3-5, at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom. More...

Institute addresses computational challenges posed by economic models

ARGONNE, Ill. (Aug. 22, 2007) — Computer scientists from the Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory joined with economists from the University of Chicago earlier this month for a conference designed to bridge the existing gulf between these two fields and teach young economists how to use state-of-the-art software and computational methods. More...

New catalysts may create more, cheaper hydrogen

ARGONNE, Ill. (Aug. 20, 2007) – A new class of catalysts created at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory may help scientists and engineers overcome some of the hurdles that have inhibited the production of hydrogen for use in fuel cells. More...

Access Grid connects collaborators, earns R&D 100 Award

ARGONNE, Ill. (Aug. 17, 2007) — After a vision nearly 10 years ago to build a system to enable group-to-group collaboration using scalable computing and networking technology, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have been honored with an R&D 100 Award for their resulting product, Access Grid 3.0. More...

Argonne scientists to give 20 presentations at 234th American Chemical Society national meeting

Argonne, Ill. (Aug. 15, 2007) – Twenty Argonne scientists will present their research at the 234th national meeting and exposition of the American Chemical Society, to be held in Boston from Aug. 19-23. More...

X-ray images help explain limits to insect body size

ARGONNE, Ill. (Aug. 9, 2007) – Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have cast new light on why the giant insects that lived millions of years ago disappeared. More...

Argonne wins three R&D 100 awards

ARGONNE, Ill. (Aug. 7, 2007) – Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory devised three of the world's top 100 scientific and technological innovations during 2006, as judged by R&D magazine. More...

Nano-boric acid makes motor oil more slippery

ARGONNE, Ill. (Aug. 3, 2007) — One key to saving the environment, improving our economy and reducing our dependence on foreign oil might just be sitting in your mother's medicine cabinet. More...

Nanotechnology helps scientists make bendy sensors for hydrogen vehicles

ARGONNE, Ill. (July 31, 2007) — In recent years, Americans have been intrigued by the promise of hydrogen-powered vehicles. But experts have judged that several technology problems must be resolved before they are more than a novelty. Recently, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have used their insights into nanomaterials to create bendy hydrogen sensors, which are at the heart of hydrogen fuel cells used in hydrogen vehicles. More...

New aerogels could clean contaminated water, purify hydrogen for fuel cells

ARGONNE, Ill. (July 27, 2007) — Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have identified a new technique for cleansing contaminated water and potentially purifying hydrogen for use in fuel cells, thanks to the discovery of a innovative type of porous material. More...

New book applies agent-based modeling to business decisions

ARGONNE, Ill. (July 25, 2007) — A new book, Managing Business Complexity: Discovering Strategic Solutions with Agent-Based Modeling and Simulation, has been referred to as a must read for anyone considering applications of agent-based modeling for solving real world problems. More...

Tightly packed molecules lend unexpected strength to nanothin sheet of material

Chicago, Ill. (July 22, 2007) — Scientists at the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory have discovered the surprising strength of a sheet of nanoparticles that measures just 50 atoms in thickness. More...

Atomic layer deposition fuels future solutions to nation's energy challenges

ARGONNE, Ill. (July 20, 2007) — More efficient and less costly solar cells, solid-state lighting and industrial catalysts are potential applications of atomic layer deposition (ALD), a technique that researchers at Argonne National Laboratory are working to perfect. Other potential applications are improved superconductors and separation membranes. More...

NEOS provides state-of-the-art optimization software over Internet

ARGONNE, Ill. (July 17, 2007) — Optimization technology is essential to engineers, scientists, businesses and even students. Optimization programs provide the answers to questions ranging from creating the most efficient allocation of resources to finding the healthiest meal at a fast food restaurant. But writing program after program to solve one optimization problem after another or even using an existing optimization library is often time-consuming or tedious. More...

Argonne's Bardhan receives prestigious Howes Scholar Award in Computational Science

ARGONNE, Ill (July 16, 2007) — Jaydeep Bardhan of the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory has been named a Frederick A. Howes Scholar in Computational Science for 2007. More...

Argonne director orders suspension of work using small amounts of nuclear materials within a building

ARGONNE, Ill. (July 13, 2007) — The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory Director Robert Rosner has ordered suspension of work using nuclear materials in two labs in one building on site effective July 3, 2007. More...

New light cast on key chemical reactions in interstellar space

ARGONNE, Ill. (July 10, 2007) – A detailed understanding of key chemical reactions that take place in interstellar space has been provided by groundbreaking research at two U.S. Department of Energy national laboratories and two European universities. More...

Felcher named inaugural fellow of Neutron Scattering Society of America

ARGONNE, Ill. (July 9, 2007) — Gian Piero Felcher, retired senior physicist in the Materials Science Division of the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, has been named an inaugural fellow of the Neutron Scattering Society of America. More...

Eichrom Technologies: Lessons learned from a successful high-tech startup

ARGONNE, Ill. (July 6, 2007) — The story of Eichrom Technologies, founded in 1990 to commercialize chemical separation technology developed at Argonne, provides insight into key issues facing high-tech start-ups and illustrates resources available through U.S. Department of Energy laboratories that can help smooth some of the bumps. More...

UChicago Argonne, LLC Board of Governors for Argonne honors 20 employees and 2 children of employees

ARGONNE, Ill. (June 28, 2007) – The UChicago Argonne, LLC Board of Governors for Argonne National Laboratory today honored 20 Argonne employees and two children of Argonne employees at its 2007 awards program. More...

Inaugural IBM Blue Gene/P system to expand Argonne Leadership Computing Facility

ARGONNE, Ill. (June 26, 2007) — Argonne National Laboratory, IBM and the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Science announced today that IBM will soon ship its first external Blue Gene/P system to the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility. More...

World's first hard X-ray free electron laser is on course to completion

ARGONNE, Ill. (June 22, 2007) — Argonne reached another milestone in the design and construction of the Linac Coherent Light Source undulator system. More...

World-renowned physicist joins Argonne to lead proposal for exotic beam facility

ARGONNE, Ill. (June 20, 2007) – World-renowned physicist Walter F. Henning is joining the scientific staff at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory to head up Argonne's efforts to build a proposed exotic beam facility for nuclear physics research, which will revolutionize our understanding of nuclei, the core of matter and the fuel of stars. More...

Practical on-board hydrogen storage is goal of new Argonne research project

ARGONNE, Ill. (June 19, 2007) — Solving one of the biggest problems in commercialization of fuel-cell-powered automobiles is the goal of a new $1.88 million research project on on-board hydrogen storage at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory. More...

Giant magnetocaloric materials could have large impact on the environment

ARGONNE, Ill. (June 18, 2007) — Materials that change temperature in magnetic fields could lead to new refrigeration technologies that reduce the use of greenhouse gases, thanks to new research at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and Ames National Laboratory. More...

Argonne, in partnership with NETL, develops Web-based information for oil and gas producers

ARGONNE, Ill. (June 14, 2007) – A new Internet-based information system that will help oil and gas producers find technical solutions to problems has been developed by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory with funding through the National Energy Technology Laboratory, provided by the Office of Fossil Energy's Oil and Natural Gas Program. More...

Argonne wins Federal Laboratory Consortium Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer

ARGONNE, Ill. (June 12, 2007) — A computer software program that helps developers of alternative vehicles, developed at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, has won a national award for technology development. More...

ATLAS upgrade allows scientists to reach even further for the stars

ARGONNE, Ill. (June 8, 2007) — With an eye toward learning more about the elements that make up the universe and everything in it, Argonne scientists have reached the latest milestone in an upgrade of ATLAS, a leading facility for nuclear structure research in the United States. More...

Emergency drill scheduled Saturday morning near Argonne site

ARGONNE, Ill. (June 8, 2007) — Argonne National Laboratory will be host on Saturday to a multiple-agency emergency drill that will take place along South Cass Avenue near the Argonne site next to Darien. More...

Argonne scientist wins first-ever Young Scientist Prize for Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics

ARGONNE, Ill. (June 1, 2007) – Robin Santra has been selected as the winner of the first 2007 International Union of Pure and Applied Physics Young Scientist Prize for Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics. More...

Argonne Anti-Jet-Lag Diet helps summer travelers beat jet lag

ARGONNE, Ill. (May 31, 2007) — With the summer travel season beginning, many travelers are beating jet lag with the Anti-Jet-Lag Diet developed at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory. More...

NY Times Web site features video by Argonne, collaborators

ARGONNE, Ill. (May 28, 2007) — The New York Times web site features an animated video, developed by Argonne researcher Paul Fischer in collaboration with the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Chicago as part of a story about the causes and treatment of stroke. More...

Magnetic 'handedness' could lead to better magnetic storage devices

ARGONNE, Ill. (May 25, 2007) – Better magnetic storage devices for computers and other electronics could result from new work by researchers in the United States and Germany. More...

Argonne, Air Force Research Lab to collaborate on defense technologies, research

ARGONNE, Ill. (May 14, 2007) — Officials from the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and the Air Force Research Laboratory signed an agreement today that promises to speed the delivery of technological advances to American military forces while saving taxpayer dollars. More...

New software helps emergency planners assist people with special needs

ARGONNE, Ill. (May 11, 2007) – Emergency preparedness planners will be able to better prepare individuals with special needs thanks to new open-source software developed at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory. More...

New '1/f noise' discovery promises to improve semiconductor-based sensors

ARGONNE, Ill. (May 10, 2007) — More sensitive sensors and detectors based on semiconductor electronics could result from new findings by researchers from the United States, Norway and Russia. More...

Argonne, Northwestern seek ANSER to solar energy challenges

ARGONNE, Ill. (May 8, 2007) — Helping the world meet increasing energy needs through solar energy will be the goal of a new research center established by the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and Northwestern University. More...

New 'layered-layered' materials promise to improve rechargeable lithium batteries

ARGONNE, Ill. (May 8, 2007) — Researchers at the Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have developed a new approach to increasing the capacity and stability of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. More...

Argonne's Joachimiak and Rosenbaum Honored with 2007 Compton Award

ARGONNE, Ill. (May 7, 2007) — The Department of Energy's Advanced Photon Source (APS) and the APS Users Organization have announced that the 2007 Arthur H. Compton Award will be presented jointly to Andrzej Joachimiak and Gerold Rosenbaum of Argonne National Laboratory for pioneering advances and leadership that helped to establish the APS as a premier location worldwide for protein crystallography research. More...

X-ray holograms reveal secret magnetism

ARGONNE, Ill. (May 3, 2007) — Today's edition of Nature journal reveals how collaboration between scientists in the USA and the UK has led to a major breakthrough in the understanding of antiferromagnets. More...

Laser-trapping of rare element gets unexpected assist

ARGONNE, Ill. (May 1, 2007) — Argonne researchers have successfully laser-cooled and trapped atoms of radium — the first time this rare element has been captured in a magneto-optical trap — with an assist from an unexpected source. More...

Catlett named Chief Information Officer at Argonne

ARGONNE, Ill. (May 1, 2007) – Argonne National Laboratory has named Charlie Catlett Chief Information Officer and Division Director of Argonne's Computing and Information Systems Division. He will assume these responsibilities effective May 1, 2007. More...

New VERITAS telescope array may help find 'dark matter'

ARGONNE, Ill. (April 30, 2007) — Scientists in the Northern Hemisphere have opened a new window on the universe allowing them to explore and understand the cosmos at a much higher level of precision than was previously available. More...

Winners selected for 17th annual model car competition

ARGONNE, Ill., (April 28, 2007) — A team from Roosevelt Middle School, River Forest, has advanced to the National Middle School Science Bowl after achieving the best overall performance in the 17th annual fuel cell car competition. More...

New catalyst helps eliminate NOx from diesel exhaust

ARGONNE, Ill. (April 27, 2007) — A catalyst developed by Argonne researchers could help diesel truck manufacturers eliminate harmful nitrogen-oxide emissions from diesel exhausts. More...

Argonne Director discusses technologies for combating global warming on E&E TV

ARGONNE, Ill. (April 25, 2007) — Robert Rosner, director of Argonne National Laboratory, discussed the range of technologies available to combat global warming and the expected role of nuclear energy in meeting the challenge. More...

Wilmington H.S. wins Illinois State Rube Goldberg machine championship

ARGONNE, Ill. (April 21, 2007) — A team of students from Wilmington High School, Wilmington, today won the 9th annual Illinois Rube Goldberg Machine Championship, sponsored jointly by the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. More...

Argonne, Fermilab celebrate as Gov. Blagojevich proclaims April 21 as Illinois Particle Accelerator Day

CHICAGO, Ill. (April 20, 2007) — In celebration of Particle Accelerator Day this weekend in Illinois, two U.S. Department of Energy laboratories, Argonne National Laboratory and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, have planned events at their respective accelerator facilities. This is the second year that the two labs are celebrating “Particle Accelerator Day”– a celebration that follows Gov. Rod Blagojevich's proclamation of April 21 as Particle Accelerator Day in Illinois. More...

Argonne writer's new book provides overview of scientific communication

ARGONNE, Ill. (April 19, 2007) — The University of Chicago Press has published The Scientific Literature: A Guided Tour by Joseph E. Harmon of Argonne National Laboratory and Alan G. Gross of the University of Minnesota. More...

Renee Carder to be Argonne's Deputy to the Lab Director

ARGONNE, Ill. (April 16, 2007) — Argonne National Laboratory Director Robert Rosner has appointed Renee Carder as the Deputy to the Lab Director. More...

Researchers develop technique for bacteria crowd control

ARGONNE, Ill. (April 16, 2007) – A surprising technique to concentrate, manipulate and separate a wide class of swimming bacteria has been identified through a collaboration between researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, Illinois Institute of technology, University of Arizona at Tucson and Cambridge University, U.K. This device could have enormous applications in biotechnology and biomedical engineering, including use in miniaturized medical diagnostic kits and bioanalysis. More...

Argonne helps improve air quality for 2008 Beijing Olympics

ARGONNE, Ill. (April 13, 2007) — To improve the air quality of Beijing and ensure a healthy atmosphere for athletes and spectators at the 2008 Summer Olympics, the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory has been working with leading institutions in the United States and China. More...

X-ray scattering techniques determine how dissolved metal ions interact in solution

ARGONNE, Ill. (April 12, 2007) — Researchers at the Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Notre Dame have successfully applied X-ray scattering techniques to determine how dissolved metal ions interact in solution. More...

Argonne Director discusses "green" economy, cars

ARGONNE, Ill. (April 11, 2007) — Argonne National Laboratory Director Robert Rosner was interviewed by several radio stations, including CNN Radio; WTOP, the CBS Affiliate in Washington . D.C.; and WDIS, Boston.  His topic was the "green economy." More...

Argonne featured on 'International Definition' D.C. cable TV show

ARGONNE, Ill. (April 11, 2007) — Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago were featured on the Washington , D.C. , cable TV show "International Definition." More...

17th annual contest challenges students to build hydrogen-fueled model cars

ARGONNE, Ill. (April 10, 2007) — Chicago-area middle school students will race to see who has built the best hydrogen-fueled model car at the 17th annual model car competition Saturday, April 28, at the Museum of Science and Industry, 57th Street and Lake Shore Drive, Chicago. More...

Flexible electronics could find applications as sensors, artificial muscles

ARGONNE, Ill. (April 2, 2007) — Flexible electronic structures with the potential to bend, expand and manipulate electronic devices are being developed by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. These flexible structures could find useful applications as sensors and as electronic devices that can be integrated into artificial muscles or biological tissues. More...

Art and science collaborate to explore the past with X-rays at Argonne National Laboratory

ARGONNE, Ill. (March 30, 2007) — When a prestigious art institute owns a precious, ancient artifact and wants to know more about its origin, special non-destructive tools are needed. More...

Maine South H.S. wins 12th annual Rube Goldberg Machine Contest

ARGONNE, Ill. (March 30, 2007) — A team from Maine Township South High School today won Argonne National Laboratory's 12th annual Rube Goldberg Machine Contest held at Chicago Children's Museum on Navy Pier. More...

Argonne's Mark Peters discusses the future of nuclear energy on Chicago Public Radio

ARGONNE, Ill. (March 29, 2007) — Illinois has more nuclear reactors than any other state in the union, and as concerns about global warming grow, governments and energy companies are investing more and more in nuclear power. Mark Peters, deputy to the associate laboratory director for applied science and technology at Argonne National Laboratory, joins host Steve Edwards of WBEZ Chicago Public Radio's Eight Forty-Eight show to discuss the advantages of nuclear energy. More...

Argonne, IIT join with Korea Power Exchange for grad program in electricity markets

ARGONNE, Ill. (March 26, 2007) – In an agreement signed today, the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and the Illinois Institute of Technology are joining with the Korea Power Exchange to establish a joint training program combining training and research at Argonne with formal academic education at IIT. More...

Argonne Director Bob Rosner discusses science and accelerators on Australian radio

ARGONNE, Ill. (March 21, 2007) — Argonne director Robert (Bob) Rosner discusses science and accelerators with host Chris Clark on the "Conversation Hour" on 774 ABC radio in Melbourne, Australia. More...

New research reveals subtlety of superconductivity

ARGONNE, Ill. (March 20, 2007) — Argonne scientists helped lead the superconducting revolution 20 years ago this month with their landmark solution of the structure of the most widely known high-temperature superconductor YBa₂Cu₃O₇. Now, they have solved another tantalizing superconductivity mystery: how a subtle change in the structure of so-called electron-doped superconductors switches the phenomenon of superconductivity on and off. More...

Rube Goldberg Machine Contest challenges students to build wackiest, most complicated orange juicer

ARGONNE, Ill. (March 16, 2007) — Students who participate in Argonne's 12th annual Rube Goldberg Machine Contest on Friday, March 30, will need creativity, concentration and perhaps some vitamin C to demonstrate complicated machines that juice an orange and pour the juice from a pitcher into a cup in 10 or more steps. More...

CRADA team recognized for award-winning collaboration in environmental innovation

ARGONNE, Ill. (March 7, 2007) — The U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, the United States Council for Automotive Research's Vehicle Recycling Partnership and the Plastics Division of the American Chemistry Council have been awarded the Plastics Recycling and Sustainability Award in Enabling Technologies by the Society of Plastics Engineers for their work in the optimum recycling of plastics and other materials from end-of-life vehicles. More...

Solar energy conversion offers a solution to help mitigate global warming

ARGONNE, Ill. (Mar. 6, 2007) — Solar energy has the power to reduce greenhouse gases and provide increased energy efficiency, says a scientist at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, in a report published in the March issue of Physics Today. More...

New nanoscale engineering breakthrough points to hydrogen-powered vehicles

ARGONNE, Ill. (March 2, 2007) — Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have developed an advanced concept in nanoscale catalyst engineering – a combination of experiments and simulations that will bring polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells for hydrogen-powered vehicles closer to massive commercialization. More...

Joint research projects aim to lay foundation for new medical treatments, diagnostics

ARGONNE, Ill. (Feb. 27, 2007) — Better treatment for infections, breast and prostate cancer, and certain brain injuries, as well as improved detection developing tumors, are the focus of new joint research by the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago. More...

Cancer cells forming blood vessels send their copper to the edge

ARGONNE, Ill. (Feb. 26, 2007) — New information about a link between the growth of blood vessels critical to the spread of cancer and the copper in our bodies has been discovered by researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago, using a beamline at the Advanced Photon Source. More...

Argonne's Michael Thackeray invited to the White House by President Bush

ARGONNE, Ill. (Feb. 23, 2007) — President Bush invited Michael Thackeray of Argonne National Laboratory to the White House on February 23, 2007 for a round table discussion on the role of lithium-ion batteries for transportation, including plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. More...

Papka named deputy associate director for Computing and Life Sciences at Argonne

ARGONNE, Ill. (Feb. 22, 2007) — Michael E. Papka has been named deputy associate director for Computing and Life Sciences at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory. More...

Conference encourages young women to explore scientific, technical careers

ARGONNE, Ill. (Feb. 16, 2007) — The U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory will host the 20th annual Science Careers in Search of Women conference, Thursday, March 8. More...

Argonne plays key role in new climate simulations

ARGONNE, Ill. (Feb. 15, 2007) — The Model Coupling Toolkit created by the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory played a key role in the climate simulations used to prepare the new U.N. report "Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis." More...

Catalyst breakthrough boosts hydrogen fuel cells

ARGONNE, Ill. (Feb. 8, 2007) – Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have discovered new information on the behavior of nano-engineered platinum surfaces – information that may bring polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells for hydrogen-powered vehicles another step closer to full development. More...

Three young scientists named postdocs at Argonne

ARGONNE, Ill. (Feb. 2, 2007) — Three young scientists with promising careers ahead of them have been appointed as postdoctoral fellows at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory. More...

Cutting-edge projects awarded computing time on Blue Gene/L

ARGONNE, Ill. (Feb. 1, 2007) — Nine computing projects ranging from predicting protein structure to simulating the formation of foams have been awarded large amounts of time on IBM Blue Gene/L computer systems at the U. S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and IBM's T.J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, N.Y. The computer time is available to researchers through the Department of Energy's INCITE program – Innovative and Novel Computational Impact on Theory and Experiment. More...

Lu named fellow of American Physical Society

ARGONNE, Ill. (Jan. 24, 2007) — Zheng-Tian Lu of Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago has been elected a fellow of the American Physical Society. More...

Schmitt named Argonne director of Human Resources

ARGONNE, Ill. (Jan. 24, 2007) — Don Schmitt has been named the director of Human Resources Division (HR) at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory. More...

Clark named director of Nuclear Operations Division at Argonne

ARGONNE, Ill. (Jan. 24, 2007) — Paul Clark has been appointed Director of the Nuclear Operations Division at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory. More...

Argonne's Bill Shack to chair NRC advisory committee

ARGONNE, Ill. (Jan. 22, 2007) – William J. Shack, a senior engineer at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, has been named chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards. More...

Study finds improvements in environmental management of coal combustion wastes

ARGONNE, Ill. (Jan. 19, 2007) — A new report prepared by the Environmental Science Division at Argonne National Laboratory has the potential for far-reaching impacts on the electric utility industry. It concludes there has been improved management of coal combustion wastes (CCWs) in landfills and surface impoundments over the past decade. More...

Argonne to introduce girls to engineering

ARGONNE, Ill. (Jan. 18, 2007) — Girls in sixth through eighth grade are invited to participate in Argonne National Laboratory's Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day to be held on Thursday, February 22. More...

Midwest Center for Structural Genomics deposits 500th structure into Protein Data Bank

ARGONNE, Ill. (Jan. 5, 2007) — Researchers from the Midwest Center for Structural Genomics, located at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, have deposited their 500th structure to the Protein Data Bank – identifying the structure of an enzyme in the key bacterium for modifying and improving crop production. More...