91����

In collaboration with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate, researchers at ORNL are evaluating technology to detect compounds emitted by pathogens and pests in agricultural products at the nation’s border. 

Scientists at ORNL have developed a method that can track chemical changes in molten salt in real time — helping to pave the way for the deployment of molten salt reactors for energy production.

Professionals from government and industry gathered at ORNL for the Nondestructive Assay Holdup Measurements Training Course for Nuclear Criticality Safety, a hands-on training in nondestructive assay, a technique for detecting and quantifying holdup without disturbing operations. 

During his first visit to 91����, Energy Secretary Chris Wright compared the urgency of the Lab’s World War II beginnings to today’s global race to lead in artificial intelligence, calling for a “Manhattan Project 2.”

Using the Frontier supercomputer at ORNL, researchers have developed a new technique that predicts nuclear properties in record detail. The study revealed how the structure of a nucleus relates to the force that holds it together. This understanding could advance efforts in quantum physics and across a variety of sectors, from to energy production to national security.

Scientists at ORNL are using advanced germanium detectors to explore fundamental questions in nuclear physics, such as the nature of neutrinos and the matter-antimatter imbalance. The ongoing LEGEND project, an international collaboration, aims to discover neutrinoless double beta decay, which could significantly advance the understanding of the universe.

Scientists designing the world’s first controlled nuclear fusion power plant, ITER, needed to solve the problem of runaway electrons, negatively charged particles in the soup of matter in the plasma within the tokamak, the magnetic bottle intended to contain the massive energy produced. Simulations performed on Summit, the 200-petaflop supercomputer at ORNL, could offer the first step toward a solution.

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s 91���� are using non-weather data from the nationwide weather radar network to understand how to track non-meteorological events moving through the air for better emergency response. 

A research partnership between two Department of Energy national laboratories has accelerated inspection of additively manufactured nuclear components, and the effort is now expanding to inspect nuclear fuels. 

During Hurricanes Helene and Milton, ORNL deployed drone teams and the Mapster platform to gather and share geospatial data, aiding recovery and damage assessments. ORNL's EAGLE-I platform tracked utility outages, helping prioritize recovery efforts. Drone data will train machine learning models for faster damage detection in future disasters.