Recent lbnl items

A practical introduction to electrochemical atomic force microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Directly monitoring the structure and evolution of an electrode surface during reaction provides uniquely powerful insight into interfacial processes. Electrochemical atomic force microscopy (EC-AFM) and Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (EC-STM) have therefore become essential tools for linking potential-controlled surface transformations to macroscopic current and product outcomes. In EC-AFM, surface features are measured from the deflection of a typically laser-tracked cantilever, enabling imaging of metals, semiconductors, and insulators in liquid electrolytes. By selecting appropriate probes and operating modes, EC-AFM maps topography together with complementary channels such as mechanical response, friction, and local electrical contrast, offering a multi-parametric view of the electrified interface during processes such as film formation, corrosion, gas evolution, and electrodeposition. By contrast, EC-STM measures the tunneling current between a conductive tip and a conductive...

Beyond Editing Code: Uses for AI Tools in Scientific Work

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Critical research advancements require usable, reliable software products—including AI tooling—for high performance data and computing work. To improve AI systems we must understand scientists’ and engineers’ needs and define design best practices for building interfaces that facilitate collaboration between scientists and AI tools across ecosystems. Ensuring the long-term usability and utility of scientific software products and AI systems for communities protects critical investments, supports high quality research, and reduces end user challenges. This talk will present findings from our semi-structured interview study investigating how scientists and engineers use AI tools for their research work. We recruited from universities and national labs, seeking perspectives from multiple disciplines. Looking beyond common use of AI tools for coding tasks, we sought to understand the varied ways AI is or could be adopted in scientific settings. Our interviews investigated how users...

A New Record Census of Dwarf AGN and a Bimodal MBH − M⋆ Scaling Relation with DESI DR1

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Using the first spectroscopic data release from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI DR1), we conduct the largest systematic search for active galactic nuclei (AGN) signatures in ≈1.7 million low-redshift (0.001 ≤ z ≤ 0.45) line-emitting galaxies. Based on the [N ii]/Hα versus [O iii]/Hβ emission-line ratio diagnostic, we identify AGN in 314,245/1,211,573 (25.9%) high-mass ( log(M⋆/M⊙)>9.5 ) and 9648/467,214 (2.1%) dwarf ( log(M⋆/M⊙)≤9.5 ) galaxies. The AGN fraction in line-emitting galaxies increases monotonically with stellar mass, from ∼1.4% at the low-mass end to ∼93.3% at the high-mass end. Among these AGN, 17,949 exhibit broad Hα emission (BL-AGN), which we use to estimate their black hole (BH) masses via single-epoch virial methods. Leveraging this large BL-AGN sample, we extend the MBH − M⋆ scaling relation down to log(M⋆/M⊙)≈7.8 and log(MBH/M⊙)≈4.4 . We find a bimodal distribution of galaxies in this space, characterized by two distinct empirical relations....

ABCFlux v2: Arctic–boreal CO2 and CH4 monthly flux observations and ancillary information across terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Measurements of surface-atmosphere carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and methane (CH 4 ) fluxes have been relatively sparse across the Arctic tundra and boreal biomes, causing significant uncertainties in carbon budget estimates from the region. While the availability of Arctic-boreal carbon flux data has increased substantially over the past decade, the data have remained spread across different repositories, scientific articles, and unpublished sources, making it difficult to leverage. Here we present a new dataset of monthly Arctic-boreal carbon fluxes (ABCFlux v2) across terrestrial (wetlands and uplands) and freshwater (lakes and rivers) ecosystems compiled from previous syntheses including the Arctic-boreal CO 2 flux database (ABCFlux v1), the Boreal-Arctic Wetland and Lake Methane Dataset (BAWLD-CH4), and the Global River Methane Database (GRiMeDB). In addition, we consider data from general-purpose (e.g., Zenodo) and flux network repositories,...

A multi-language auto-differentiation module and its application to a parallel particle-in-cell code on distributed computers

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The auto differentiable simulation is a type of simulation that outputs of the simulation include not only the simulation result itself, but also their derivatives with respect to various input parameters. It provides an efficient method to study sensitivity of the simulation results with respect to the input parameters. Furthermore, it can be used in gradient based optimization methods for rapidly optimizing design parameters. In this paper, we present the development of a fast and transparent auto-differentiation module/class designed for easy integration into numerous simulation codes. As an application, this auto-differentiation module is integrated into a parallel particle-in-cell code with message passing interface (MPI) on distributed memory computers.

Cost, emissions, and material flow implications of designing electric vehicle components for recyclability

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract The electric vehicle (EV) industry is growing rapidly; however, compared to conventional automobiles, the increased weight of EVs contributes to their more limited range. To reduce total EV weight, higher-end vehicles use materials such as aluminum, which are more costly and energy-intensive than steel. This presents a challenge to the industry: there is a need to transition toward both lightweighting and material circularity. Improved materials are needed not only to reduce weight and improve efficiency but also to facilitate reclamation of metals and polymers from end-of-life vehicles. This study provides and demonstrates a framework for evaluating lightweight polymer alternatives for conventional EV components from a circularity perspective. The study identifies replacement materials for bumpers, door panels, interior consoles, and battery enclosures by evaluating material properties, environmental impacts, and economic metrics. Next, the study explores the battery...

A genomic catalog of Earth’s bacterial and archaeal symbionts

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Microbial symbiosis drives the functional and phylogenomic diversification of life on Earth yet remains underexplored because of culturing challenges. This study used machine learning (ML) to predict symbiotic lifestyles in more than a hundred thousand microbial genomes from diverse environmental metagenome samples and reference genomes. Predictions were performed using symclatron, an ML framework developed to identify genomic signatures of symbionts. Predictions were deposited in a catalog we established called Symbiont Genomes (SymGs). The results indicate that 15–23% of uncultivated microorganisms likely engage in symbiotic relationships with other organisms, categorized as host-associated or obligate intracellular lifestyles, and are present in half of all known bacterial and archaeal phyla. We also identify genomic signatures of symbiotic lifestyles, including the loss of certain metabolic functions and the differential presence of metabolic modules that may enable host-dependent...

“Quadrupling” the protein family space with global metagenomics

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The known universe of protein families represents only a small fraction of nature's molecular diversity. From 40.3 billion predicted open reading frames across 40 446 metagenomes, 9540 metatranscriptomes, and 539 million proteins from 167 415 reference genomes, we identified 608 258 previously uncharacterized putative protein families with ≥100 members and 6.5 million families with ≥25 members, none matching known Pfam domains or reference proteins. This effort doubles the known repertoire of large families and quadruples that of smaller families. Integration of AlphaFold2-based structural predictions with gene-neighborhood and taxonomic analyses enables the characterization of these previously unannotated proteins, revealing candidates for both novel and known biological functions in understudied microbial lineages and biomes. This expanded repertoire provides insights into microbial adaptation and broadens the molecular toolkit available for biotechnology, highlighting the power...

Observation of a Bc*+ Meson with the ATLAS Detector

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The first observation of a new meson state decaying into and a photon is presented using a dataset of collisions at a center-of-mass energy collected by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of . The mesons are reconstructed from a three-muon final state from decays, along with photons reconstructed via conversions to electron-positron pairs in the detector material. The new state is observed with a significance that exceeds 8 standard deviations. The mass difference between the new meson state and the ground-state meson is measured to be . This corresponds to a mass for the observed state of , where the last uncertainty is due to the precision of the best knowledge of the meson mass. The low mass difference value matches the theory expectations for the lowest vector state of the system, the meson.

Correlated evolution of fish host length and parasite spore size: a tale from myxosporeans inhabiting elasmobranchs

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Myxozoa represent a diverse group of microscopic cnidarian endoparasites alternating between invertebrate and vertebrate hosts. Of the approximately 2,600 species described predominantly from teleost fish, only 1.8% have been reported from cartilaginous fishes (Elasmobranchii). As ancestral vertebrate hosts of myxozoans, elasmobranchs may have played an important role in myxozoan evolution, however, they are also some of the largest vertebrate hosts known for this group of parasites. We screened 50 elasmobranchs belonging to nine species and seven families, from various geographical areas, for myxozoan infection. We found a 22% overall prevalence of myxozoans in elasmobranchs and describe five species new to science. We investigated, for the first known time, the evolution of spore size within three phylogenetic clades, Ceratomyxa, Sphaerospora sensu stricto and Parvicapsula. We found that spores from elasmobranch-infecting myxozoans were on average 4.8× (Ceratomyxa), 2.2× (Parvicapsula...

Quantifying Methane Emissions from Oil Fields in the Central Valley of CA

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract In 2024, California was the eighth-largest producer of crude oil in the U.S. by volume with ∼50,000 active wells. Working with the California Energy Commission, we measured methane (CH4) emissions from 172 actively producing oil wells (219 total observations with 47 repeat measurements) either with or without casinghead gas collection systems (GCS) in two oil fields near Bakersfield in Kern County. We also measured benzene (C6H6) emissions at a subset of wells to assess C6H6 to CH4 ratios. The mean mass-based ratio for C6H6:CH4 was 7.8 × 10–7 with a mean benzene emission rate of 0.9 mg h–1. Wells with an open-ended line (OEL) emitted ∼100-fold more methane on average than wells with a GCS: 1.26 kg h–1 and 0.01 kg h–1, respectively. The prevalence of wells with a GCS rose sharply with increasing oil and gas production, rising from 36% for wells producing <2 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boed) to 97% for wells producing ≥15 boed. The top 5.7% highest-emitting wells...

A diversity of amoebae colonise the gills of farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) with amoebic gill disease (AGD)

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Neoparamoeba perurans is the aetiological agent of amoebic gill disease (AGD) in salmonids, however multiple other amoeba species colonise the gills and their role in AGD is unknown. Taxonomic assessments of these accompanying amoebae on AGD-affected salmon have previously been based on gross morphology alone. The aim of the present study was to document the diversity of amoebae colonising the gills of AGD-affected farmed Atlantic salmon using a combination of morphological and sequence-based taxonomic methods. Amoebae were characterised morphologically via light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, and by phylogenetic analyses based on the 18S rRNA gene and cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. In addition to N. perurans, 11 other amoebozoans were isolated from the gills, and were classified within the genera Neoparamoeba, Paramoeba, Vexillifera, Pseudoparamoeba, Vannella and Nolandella. In some cases, such as Paramoeba eilhardi, this is the first time this species...

HeatShift-HP: A Techno-Economic framework for assessing heat pump load shifting under dynamic tariffs and grid fees

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Rapid growth of electric demand combined with increased penetration of intermittent power sources increases the value of flexible electric heating, but the techno-economic role of central hot-water storage under realistic tariffs remains unclear. This paper introduces HeatShift-HP, an open-source Python/Modelica co-simulation workflow. The framework couples a generic air-to-water heat pump and a stratified storage tank Functional Mock-up Unit with a supervisory rule-based controller and time series of weather, heating load, and end-user electricity prices. The framework targets plant-side flexibility and varies specific tank volume, nominal supply and return temperatures, heat-pump sizing, controller settings, and tariff variants, including a price-responsive boosting strategy constrained by a cost-neutral coefficient of performance approximation. The workflow is applied to a single-family reference building in Berlin and Chicago using 2025 weather and hourly retail prices with...

Viral genetic diversity and functional potential in polar and subarctic sea ice

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Sea ice plays a critical role in regulating the global climate and serves as a unique habitat for diverse microbial communities. Still, our understanding of viruses in these communities remains limited. To further uncover the diversity and functional potential of viruses in polar and subarctic sea ice, we explored the viral component of Arctic, Baltic Sea, and Antarctic sea ice metagenomes. Altogether, 550 viral operational taxonomic units (vOTUs) were recovered, most of which were putatively classified within the class Caudoviricetes, which comprises bacterial and archaeal tailed double-stranded DNA viruses. Hosts were predicted for 187 vOTUs, with Gammaproteobacteria and Bacteroidia being the most prevalent viral host groups. Potential functions were assigned for 56% of predicted viral gene products, including putative auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) involved in oxidative metabolism, photosynthesis, and metabolism regulation under stress conditions. Related viral genomes...

Ecosystem retrogression enhances cross‐domain microbial stability and increases the genetic potential for nutrient cycling

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Ecosystem retrogression drives nutrient depletion, reduced productivity, and profound reorganization of soil microbial communities. Using amplicon sequencing and genome-resolved metagenomics, we examined how cross-domain microbial networks and functional gene potential respond to long-term phosphorus and nitrogen limitation along the well-characterized Ecological Staircase chronosequence in Mendocino, California, USA. Microbial diversity and abundance declined sharply with terrace age for prokaryotes, predatory protists, and bacteriophages, whereas fungi and phototrophic protists increased in nutrient-depleted, acidic soils. These compositional shifts were accompanied by major changes in reconstructed microbial networks: relative modularity increased alongside robustness, indicating adaptive reorganization that may sustain ecosystem function under resource scarcity. Fungi emerged as central stabilizers in these restructured networks, carrying enriched genetic potential to degrade...

Single-cell genomics, metagenomics, and transcriptomics of Rhizophydium megarrhizum, an obligate fungal parasite of Planktothrix agardhii

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Chytrids (phylum Chytridiomycota) are zoosporic fungi that play key roles as parasites of aquatic microorganisms, yet they are understudied and genomic resources for algal-infecting chytrids remain scarce. Here, we present the first comparative genomic analysis of multiple isolates of a single chytrid species (order Rhizophydiales) infecting the cyanobacterium Planktothrix agardhii. Isolates were collected from Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie, across two bloom years (2018 and 2019). Using single cell sequencing and metagenomic assembly, we generated individual genomes averaging 15.36 ± 0.12 Mbp in size with ~ 75% completeness, and a pangenome. Gene ontology analyses highlighted the presence of categories related to cellular structure, biosynthetic regulation, and interspecies interactions. As a preliminary exploration of gene expression during infection, we also performed RNA sequencing on a subset of size-sorted samples. These data suggest that chytrids consistently express high...

Simultaneous optimization of lignocellulosic sugar catabolism via systematic laboratory evolution under complex selection pressure

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Efficient co-utilization of hexose and pentose sugars from lignocellulose is essential for microbial bioconversion, yet engineered catabolic pathways can be unstable or suboptimal in complex resource environments. Here, we use a Pseudomonas putida strain engineered to catabolize xylose and arabinose to examine how resource abundance, temporal availability, and subculturing shape evolutionary outcomes. Using an automated adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) platform, we evolve the strain under simple single-substrate and complex multi-substrate selection pressures. These environments drive divergence between catabolic specialists and generalists. Weak or absent selection for xylose frequently leads to loss of xylose catabolism, whereas carbon-limited mixed-sugar environments promote stable retention and coordinated optimization of multiple catabolic pathways, enhancing growth and substrate utilization. Genomic, proteomic, and biochemical analyses show that pathway-specific fitness...

Methanol-specific methyltransferase isozymes have large carbon kinetic isotope effects that impact methane isotopic signatures

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The stable carbon and hydrogen isotopic composition of methane is widely used to determine its sources. Methanogenic growth on methanol generates methane with significantly lower ¹³C/¹²C ratios relative to other substrates, which is used as a marker for this metabolism in environmental samples. The biochemical basis for the large carbon isotope effect associated with methanol growth is currently unknown. Here, we measure the change in the carbon and hydrogen stable isotopic compositions of the methane produced by Methanosarcina acetivorans during growth on methanol. We couple these results with an inverse modeling approach to calculate the kinetic isotopic effects (KIEs) of the rate-limiting step, catalyzed by the methanol-specific methyltransferase complex (MTA). Through this process, we estimate the carbon KIE of MTA (¹³ε_MTA) to be -66‰ and the hydrogen KIE of MTA (²ε_MTA) to be -56‰. Our results...

Fantastic microbes and where to find them: evaluating learning-by-doing outcomes in a crowdfunded metagenomics workshop

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Metagenomics offers a powerful framework for authentic, interdisciplinary learning, yet it remains underrepresented in undergraduate education due to technical and infrastructural barriers. We hypothesized that a research-based, learning-by-doing metagenomics workshop supported by accessible bioinformatics tools could enhance students' perceived skills, self-efficacy, and conceptual understanding of metagenomic analysis. To test this hypothesis, we designed and evaluated a hybrid hands-on workshop in which undergraduate and postgraduate students analyzed real environmental shotgun metagenomic datasets generated from soil samples collected during a citizen science initiative. Using the graphical workflow platform KBase, participants completed an end-to-end metagenomic analysis, from quality control and assembly to genome reconstruction, taxonomic classification, functional annotation, and scientific presentation of results. Educational outcomes were assessed through validated retrospective...

Clonally related Escherichia coli ST69 causing neonatal sepsis in preterm siblings born 1 year apart

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Recurrent neonatal infection caused by the same bacterial lineage across pregnancies is rarely documented. We describe two preterm siblings born one year apart who developed Escherichia coli sepsis caused by clonally related strains. Case Summary: Two female infants were born preterm, 1 year apart, at 26 weeks and 4 days and 30 weeks and 3 days of gestation, respectively, following prolonged premature rupture of membranes. Both infants were evaluated for early-onset sepsis at birth with blood cultures and administered empiric ampicillin and gentamicin; initial blood cultures were sterile, and antibiotics were discontinued after 24 h. At 7 days of age, each infant developed new clinical signs of infection, and both were diagnosed with E. coli bacteremia. Both infants recovered after treatment with intravenous antibiotics. Whole-genome sequencing identified the isolates as O15:K52:H18, sequence type 69 (ST69), differing by only a few single nucleotide polymorphisms. Conclusion:...

The dynamics of introgression and parallel adaptation across North American Vitis species

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Hybridization between species can contribute to parallel adaptive events. However, the prevalence of introgression is rarely measured across multiple species, meaning that it is rarely integrated with landscape-scale processes or connected to adaptive repeatability. Here we analyzed whole-genome resequencing data from 639 accessions representing 48 Vitis species. Vitis is notable for the domesticated grapevine (Vitis vinifera), multiple economically important North American species, and as an example of a temperate adaptive radiation. We reconstructed individual- and species-level phylogenetic frameworks for the genus and performed population genetic analyses for 19 species. The analyses uncovered widespread evidence of introgression, comprising ~14% of the average Vitis genome. Introgression was associated with the geographic distribution between species, and highly admixed individuals were more frequently found near ecological niche margins. Genetic...

Prediction and Experimental Verification of Electrolyte Solvation Structure from an OMol25-Trained Interatomic Potential

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A molecular-level understanding of electrolyte solvation structure and ion-ion correlations is critical to developing next-generation battery chemistries. Atomistic simulation capabilities with sufficient accuracy, speed, and transferability to deliver reliable structural insights while avoiding arduous system-specific reparameterization are thus highly desirable. Machine learning interatomic potentials (MLIPs) trained on large, chemically diverse data sets are revolutionizing computational chemistry, enabling molecular dynamics simulations of battery electrolytes with near-DFT accuracy over 10,000× faster than DFT. While previous MLIP training data sets with suitable elemental coverage for electrolytes have been based on inorganic materials, the Open Molecules 2025 (OMol25) data set provides large-scale molecular DFT MLIP training data with broad elemental coverage and specifically samples tens of millions of electrolyte configurations. Here, we integrate computational modeling...

Baryon Acoustic Oscillations from the C iv Forest with DESI DR2

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We present a measurement of baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) in the cross correlation of triply ionized carbon (C iv) absorption with the positions of quasars (QSO) and emission-line galaxies (ELGs). We use quasars and ELGs from the second data release (DR2) of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument survey. Our data sample consists of 2.5 million quasars, 3.1 million ELGs, and the C iv absorption is measured along the line of sight of 1.5 million high-redshift quasars with z > 1.3. We measure the isotropic BAO signal at 4.2σ for the C IV×QSO cross correlation. This translates into a 3.0% precision measurement of the ratio of the isotropic distance scale, DV, and the sound horizon at the drag epoch, rd, with DV/rd(zeff = 1.92) = 30.3 ± 0.9. We make the first detection of the BAO feature in the C IV×ELG cross-correlation at a significance of 2.5σ and find DV/rd(zeff = 1.47) = 24.6 ± 1.0.

A geothermal amoeba sets a new upper temperature limit for eukaryotes

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The study of temperature limits has transformed our understanding of life's boundaries but has focused on bacteria and archaea. For decades after their discovery, no eukaryote was shown to replicate above 60°C. We isolated a geothermal amoeba, Incendiamoeba cascadensis, that divides at 63°C and is motile up to 64°C. We identified an enrichment of genes related to proteostasis and environmental sensing relative to mesophilic amoebae. Comparative RNA sequencing of I. cascadensis revealed upregulation of pathways related to proteostasis, DNA repair, and membrane trafficking at high temperatures. Predicted proteins of I. cascadensis have distinct biophysical properties, including enrichment of positively charged surface residues similar to bacterial and archaeal hyperthermophiles, which suggests a convergent mechanism for protein stability under temperature stress. Together, our findings expand our understanding of where and how life can persist.

Automating Chemical Reasoning in High‐Throughput Phase Identification With a Probabilistic, LLM‐Guided Framework

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Autonomous laboratories increasingly enable materials synthesis at scale, but traditional high-throughput characterization workflows remain limited by the need for expert chemical intuition to distinguish plausible interpretations from formally good but chemically incorrect fits. We present an automated interpretation framework that combines probabilistic inference with automated chemical reasoning for phase identification from powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD). The framework evaluates multiple candidate interpretations using diffraction pattern-based metrics. It then refines these likelihoods using chemically-informed priors derived from composition balance and a large language model (LLM)-based plausibility estimate with human-readable justification and also produces a trustworthiness score. In a blinded multi-project benchmark, the framework's top-ranked interpretation was selected over the lowest- baseline in 93% of cases where evaluators expressed a clear preference (95% CI:...

Diiron µ2-N2 complexes in bimetallic, four-fold bond activations of SiH4 to produce µ2-silicide complexes

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Fe(0) dinitrogen complexes [SiP₃ ^R]Fe-N[triple bond, length as m-dash]N-Fe[SiP₃ ^R] (1-R; [SiP₃ ^R] = PhSi(CH₂PR₂)₃; R = ⁱ Pr, Ph) are accessed by one- or two-electron reduction of Fe(i) and Fe(ii) chloride complexes [SiP₃ ^{ⁱ Pr}]FeCl or κ²-[SiP₃ ^R]FeCl₂ (R = ⁱ Pr, Ph), respectively, and fully characterized by means of multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD), and Mössbauer spectroscopy. Complexes 1-R represent rare examples of bimetallic Fe(0) compounds with dinitrogen as a bridging ligand and have an overall spin of S = 0. Heating 1-R in the presence of SiH₄ gas resulted in four-fold Si-H activation to furnish diiron complexes [SiP₃ ^R](H)₂Fe[double bond, length as m-dash]Si[double bond,...

TEM Agent: enhancing transmission electron microscopy with modern AI tools

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Recent improvements in large language models (LLMs) have had a dramatic effect on capabilities and productivity across many disciplines involving critical thinking and writing. The development of the model context protocol (MCP) provides a way to extend the power of LLMs to a specific set of tasks or scientific equipment with help from curated tools and resources. Here, we describe a framework called TEM Agent designed for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) that leverages the benefits of LLMs through a MCP approach. We simultaneously access and control several subsystems of the TEM, a data management platform, and high-performance computing resources through text-based instructions. We demonstrate the abilities of the TEM Agent to set up and complete intricate workflows using a simplified set of MCP tools and resources accompanying a commercial LLM without any additional training. The use of a framework such as the TEM Agent simplifies access to complex microscope ecosystems...

Genome sequence and annotation of Myroides phaeus DSM 23313T isolated from a human oral cavity

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We present the genome sequence of Myroides phaeus DSM 23313^T, a type strain isolated from a human oral cavity. The genome comprises 2.97 Mbp and contains 2,661 predicted genes. This genome analysis will provide insight into the multiple antibiotic resistance capabilities of this opportunistic pathogen.

Parasitic flatworms infecting thorny skate, Amblyraja radiata: Infection by the monogeneans Acanthocotyle verrilli and Rajonchocotyle emarginata in Svalbard

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Parasite diversity above the Arctic circle remains understudied even for commercially valuable host taxa. Thorny skate, Amblyraja radiata, is a common bycatch species with a growing commercial value. Its natural range covers both sides of the North Atlantic including the Arctic zone. Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago located on the northwest corner of the Barents Shelf which sustains a spectacular species diversity. So far, several monogenean species have been reported infecting thorny skate across the Atlantic Ocean. In the present study, we intend to fill in the knowledge gap on monogenean parasites infecting thorny skate in the northern part of its range and thus indirectly assess the connectivity between the thorny skate populations off the Svalbard coast and from previously studied locations. 46 monogenean individuals were recovered from 11 specimens of thorny skate. Following morphological and molecular assessment, two species of monogeneans, Acanthocotyle verrilli and...

Search for anomalies in vector-boson fusion production of the Higgs boson in H(→ γγ)jj events using 164 fb−1 of pp collision data collected at s=13.6 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This article details two studies of Higgs boson properties using the vector-boson fusion production mode and the γγjj final state. Both efforts are based on a data sample corresponding to 164 fb−1 of s=13.6$$ \sqrt{s}=13.6 $$ TeV proton-proton collisions recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. The first study employs matrix-element-based optimal observables to constrain CP-odd couplings beyond the Standard Model within the Standard Model Effective Field Theory framework, expressed in the Warsaw basis. The second study exploits angular distributions to probe the Higgs boson’s couplings to longitudinally and transversely polarised W and Z bosons in the production of the Higgs boson. To maximise the sensitivity, the constraints of the CP-odd couplings are combined with those from a previous analysis performed in γγjj events in a data sample of proton-proton collisions at s=13$$ \sqrt{s}=13 $$ TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb−1. A significant...

Combination of ATLAS and CMS Searches for Higgs Boson Pair Production at s=13 TeV

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This Letter presents a combination of searches for Higgs boson pair ( ) production performed by the ATLAS and CMS Collaborations using proton-proton collision datasets recorded at during the Large Hadron Collider Run 2, corresponding to integrated luminosities ranging between 126 and . The upper limit at the 95% confidence level on the total signal strength, defined as the ratio of the measured cross section to the standard model (SM) prediction, corresponds to 2.5, with an expected value of 1.7 (2.8) assuming the absence (presence) of the SM signal. The strength of the signal is measured to be relative to the SM prediction. The observed significance is found to be 1.1 standard deviations whereas 1.3 are expected for the SM signal. Constraints are set on the Higgs boson trilinear self-coupling and on the couplings of two Higgs bosons to two vector bosons, both normalized to the SM predictions and denoted as and , respectively. The observed individual constraints at the...

Measurement of coincident photon-initiated processes in ultra-peripheral Pb+Pb collisions with the ATLAS detector

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Lorentz-contracted electromagnetic fields of the ions in ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions generate intense quasi-real photon fluxes. These lead to photon-induced interactions that are observed in ultra-peripheral collisions (UPCs), such as vector meson and lepton-pair production. The high photon flux also enables the occurrence of multiple photon-induced processes in a single collision. Presented is the first measurement of the coincident production of γ γ → μ + μ − and γ + A → ρ 0 + A in UPC Pb+Pb collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 5.02 TeV and 5.36 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The coincident ρ 0 is identified via its decay into a π + π − pair, with the selected π + π − sample also containing the non-resonant continuum contribution. The rate of the coincident process relative to the exclusive γ γ → μ + μ − process is measured differentially in intervals of forward event activity, quantified by the Zero Degree Calorimeters. The relative...

Long-term biomass growth unimpeded by short-term photosynthetic decoupling

Sun, 11 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Plant carbon uptake depends on the balance between carbon sources (for example, photosynthesis) and sinks (for example, respiration, storage and growth), which together determine how much CO2 uptake translates into lasting biomass gains1, 2–3. Eddy-covariance and tree-ring analyses have suggested a decoupling between photosynthetic carbon assimilation and growth on interannual timescales4,5, often interpreted as evidence for widespread sink limitation5. Using long-term observations at flux towers and a global vegetation model ensemble, we show that such annual, or short-term, decoupling neither implies sink limitation nor constrains long-term growth. Across observations and more than half of the ensemble models, short-term correlations between photosynthesis and woody carbon biomass increment (rΔcWood,GPP) are weak, confirming previously reported decoupling. Despite the weak correlations, however, woody carbon biomass increased in proportion to photosynthesis between 1951 and...

Robust, randomized preconditioning for kernel ridge regression

Fri, 9 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We investigate preconditioned conjugate gradient methods for kernel ridge regression (KRR) problems with a moderate to large number of data points (104≤N≤107$$10^4 \le N \le 10^7$$). We develop and analyze two randomized preconditioners with complementary guarantees. For full-data KRR, RPCholesky preconditioning requires O(N2)$$\mathcal {O}(N^2)$$ arithmetic operations for fixed accuracy under sufficiently rapid eigenvalue decay of the kernel matrix. For restricted KRR with k≪N$$k\ll N$$ centers, KRILL preconditioning requires O((N+k2)klogk)$$\mathcal {O}((N+k^2)k\log k)$$ operations with no eigenvalue-decay assumption. Experiments on benchmark and scientific data sets demonstrate the robustness of both methods relative to existing preconditioners.

Impactful Datasets in Earth, Space, and Environmental Sciences: Highlighting the Data That Transform Research

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract The American Geophysical Union (AGU) announces the new living collection “Impactful Datasets in Earth, Space, and Environmental Sciences” which recognizes the creation and curation of datasets enabling research, analysis, and decision making beyond what is captured by traditional academic impact metrics. The collection highlights datasets through the dimensions of People, Planet, and Prosperity, and includes a curated set of nominated datasets and accompanying special collection of data papers. Developed with the Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) community, the nomination and review process initially invites contributors from across research, operations, and public service, to nominate datasets important to their work, and then submit a data paper that expands upon the nomination text for inclusion in the special collection. This commentary highlights the rationale for the living collection, and the process of nomination. The collection serves as a living...

Towards healthy buildings: developing harm-metric frameworks to support design and decision-making

Thu, 8 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Current Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) regulations rely on concentration thresholds for individual pollutants, which limits their ability to capture cumulative health impacts and hinders the development of performance-based ventilation standards. Building on prior work, including Annexe D of ASHRAE 62.2, this study introduces a harm-based framework that shifts the reference from indoor concentrations to a standardised emission rate scenario. The proposed Harm Metric aggregates multiple contaminant exposures into a single health outcome expressed in DALYs·(105 pers)−1·year−1, enabling an outcome-based evaluation of ventilation performance. Applied to a representative sample of the French dwelling stock, the metric shows a median total harm of 994 DALYs·(105 pers)−1·year−1. The main contributors are particulate matter, formaldehyde, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and radon. A ventilation sensitivity analysis demonstrates the metric’s responsiveness, with total harm decreasing to around 800 DALYs·(105...

Research Priorities for Robust Climate Assessments in the United States

Wed, 7 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract Scientific assessments play a critical role in synthesizing evidence to support evidence-based decision-making in many sectors and topics. For climate change, large-scale assessments like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the U.S. National Climate Assessment (NCA) reports help many different users—from national government to local governments, Indigenous Peoples and communities, the private sector, the social sector, and the scientific community itself—navigate the complex field of climate risks, impacts, and integrated solutions. While cocreation with users is essential to developing actionable assessments, this paper lays the groundwork for future processes by identifying many advancing and emerging areas of relevant knowledge ready for assessment or additional near-term research. Drawing on the expertise of many scholars who were formerly tasked with producing the Sixth NCA and authors of other national or subnational climate assessment reports,...

Research Priorities for Robust Climate Assessments in the United States

Wed, 7 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract Scientific assessments play a critical role in synthesizing evidence to support evidence‐based decision‐making in many sectors and topics. For climate change, large‐scale assessments like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the United States (U.S.) National Climate Assessment (NCA) reports help many different users—from national government to local governments, Indigenous Peoples and communities, the private sector, the social sector, and the scientific community itself—navigate the complex field of climate risks, impacts, and integrated solutions. While co‐creation with users is essential to developing actionable assessments, this paper lays the groundwork for future processes by identifying many advancing and emerging areas of relevant knowledge ready for assessment or additional near‐term research. Drawing on the expertise of many scholars who were formerly tasked with producing the Sixth NCA and authors of other national or sub‐national climate...

Estimating Kinetic Parameters from the Impedance Response of Proton-Exchange-Membrane Fuel Cells Using Continuum Models

Wed, 7 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A mathematical framework for simulating the impedance response of a proton-exchange-membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) was developed to provide insight into the coupled physics and chemistry that influence observed spectra. The model was based on a cell-level continuum model that was linearized and represented in the frequency domain, which allowed for the accounting of coupled transport in a PEMFC and the simulation of full spectra in seconds. Good agreement was observed between experimental and simulated polarization and impedance data. Consistency between steady-state and frequency-domain continuum models was confirmed, which allowed for the extraction of kinetic information from the experimental impedance spectra. The model framework was used to estimate contributions associated with ohmic, charge-transfer, and transport resistances, which was shown to align with power-loss voltage breakdown analyses of steady-state simulations. A proposed equivalent-circuit model facilitated estimates...

Development of a time-of-flight, decay and position-sensitive detector for FIONA

Tue, 6 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A decay and timing detector for superheavy elements has been developed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory with the goal to become the main measurement detector of FIONA. It combines a double-sided silicon strip detector that provides decay energy and position information with a microchannel plate detector which determines the implantation time of the nuclei on the detector through the detection of secondary electrons emitted from the silicon detector upon impact. This new setup was simulated, constructed and tested offline, in a proof-of-principle setup using a beam of 216Po + , the results of which are presented in this work. The new detector provides, for the first time in FIONA, sensitivity to isotopes beyond α emitters (and fissioning isotopes) and decay time information.

Coupled groundwater and heat flow modeling for Detroit Arsenal

Tue, 6 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

An efficient means of modeling coupled groundwater flow and heat transport for an entire borefield making up the Ground Heat Exchanger (GHE) for a Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) is demonstrated, using the numerical simulator TOUGH, incorporating the “Extra Grid Block” method. A realistic thermal load taken from an EnergyPlus simulation provides inlet temperature and loop flow rate for the borefield. The thermal load is nearly balanced between winter heating demand and summer cooling demand. TOUGH then simulates subsurface heat transport, assuming three different magnitudes of regional groundwater flow: none, small – deemed plausible for Detroit Arsenal, and large – 10 times the small value, to illustrate a more extreme effect. The small groundwater flow has a negligible effect on GHE performance, and the large groundwater flow has only a minor effect. An alternative case using a hypothetical unbalanced thermal load with cooling demand all year showed greater effect of groundwater...

HDX–MS finds that partial unfolding with sequential domain activation controls condensation of a cellular stress marker

Mon, 5 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Eukaryotic cells form condensates to sense and adapt to their environment [S. F. Banani, H. O. Lee, A. A. Hyman, M. K. Rosen, Nat. Rev. Mol. Cell Biol. 18, 285-298 (2017), H. Yoo, C. Triandafillou, D. A. Drummond, J. Biol. Chem. 294, 7151-7159 (2019)]. Poly(A)-binding protein (Pab1), a canonical stress granule marker, condenses upon heat shock or starvation, promoting adaptation [J. A. Riback et al., Cell 168, 1028-1040.e19 (2017)]. The molecular basis of condensation has remained elusive due to a dearth of techniques to probe structure directly in condensates. We apply hydrogen-deuterium exchange/mass spectrometry to investigate the mechanism of Pab1's condensation. Pab1's four RNA recognition motifs (RRMs) undergo different levels of partial unfolding upon condensation, and the changes are similar for thermal and pH stresses. Although structural heterogeneity is observed, the ability of MS to describe populations allows us to...

X-ray footprinting/mass spectrometry provides a new, detailed view of intrinsically disordered protein structural ensembles

Mon, 5 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

X-ray footprinting/mass spectrometry provides a new, detailed view of intrinsically disordered protein structural ensembles

X-ray footprinting/mass spectrometry offers a new, detailed view of intrinsically disordered protein structural ensembles

Mon, 5 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

X-ray footprinting/mass spectrometry offers a new, detailed view of intrinsically disordered protein structural ensembles

Improving UAV Magnetic Surveys with a Theory-Guided Empirical Model for Locating and Characterizing Undocumented Orphaned Oil and Gas Wells

Mon, 5 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract Undocumented orphaned oil and gas wells can pose risks through unintended releases of substances, yet they remain difficult to locate because records are incomplete and surface indicators are often absent. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) magnetometry is increasingly used to identify steel-cased wells, but surveys commonly stop at target detection and provide limited guidance on how sensor height affects anomaly strength, burial-depth estimates, or confidence in non-detection. Here, we develop a physics-informed, calibrated empirical model between peak magnetic-anomaly amplitude and distance from the magnetometer to the top of steel casing. Using anomaly amplitude measured at known sensor height, the model provides three practical outputs: estimated casing-top burial depth where casing is not visible, maximum sensor height at which casing at a specified depth remains detectable, and correction of variable-height anomalies to a common reference height. We calibrate the relationship...

Investigating disorder-containing complexes using hydrogen-deuterium exchange with mass spectrometry

Mon, 5 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Investigating disorder-containing complexes using hydrogen-deuterium exchange with mass spectrometry

FastPM: a new scheme for fast simulations of dark matter and haloes

Fri, 2 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We introduce FastPM, a highly scalable approximated particle mesh (PM) N-body solver, which implements the PM scheme enforcing correct linear displacement (1LPT) evolution via modified kick and drift factors. Employing a two-dimensional domain decomposing scheme, FastPM scales extremely well with a very large number of CPUs. In contrast to Comoving-Lagrangian (COLA) approach, we do not require to split the force or track separately the 2LPT solution, reducing the code complexity and memory requirements. We compare FastPM with different number of steps (Ns) and force resolution factor (B) against three benchmarks: halo mass function from friends-of-friends halo finder; halo and dark matter power spectrum; and cross-correlation coefficient (or stochasticity), relative to a high-resolution TreePM simulation. We show that the modified time stepping scheme reduces the halo stochasticity when compared to COLA with the same number of steps and force resolution. While increasing Ns and...

Quantitative X‐ray scattering and reflectivity measurements of polymer thin films with 2D detectors

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract We describe a fully open‐sourced Python package to process raw X‐ray scattering data using a GANESHA SAXSLAB facility, and review in this manuscript the connection of X‐ray scattering theories with the open‐sourced package. This package affords researchers more flexibility in analyzing and visualizing X‐ray scattering and reflectivity data from what is now a commonplace facility at many universities and research laboratories engaged in polymer research. We briefly review the applications of X‐ray scattering and diffraction, followed by the scattering theories. A pedagogical introduction to processing X‐ray scattering data is provided using the modules in the Python package. We compare conventions to visualize and interpret transmission and grazing‐incidence scattering data using self‐assembled lamellar morphology of bottlebrush copolymers as an example, then describe how area detectors measure specular and off‐specular reflectivity. Examples of in‐house reflectivity and...

Tracking CCI Alumni: Community College STEM Pathways 5 to 12 Years After a National Laboratory Internship

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

It is well-established that technical and research experiences can support undergraduate retention in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, but little published research examines outcomes for community college students in internships provided by Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories. To address this gap, we examined the academic and career activities of alumni who participated in two DOE-sponsored programs at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) between 2009 and 2016: the Community College Internship (CCI) and Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI). Using self-reported academic and career information collected through alumni surveys, we compared outcomes for CCI alumni from community colleges with those for SULI alumni from baccalaureate-granting institutions. Among CCI alumni, 90% earned a STEM bachelor’s degree and 88% were on a STEM career pathway. For SULI alumni, 91% earned a STEM bachelor’s degree and 71% were...

USB-C Outlets for Plug Loads in 350V DC Buildings

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

USB-C has become the universal plug standard for charging consumer electronics, typically through AC/DC wall adapters. As new standards in USB power distribution allow USB-C ports to provide up to 240W at 48V, many discuss the possibility of USB-C emerging as a plug-load standard, especially in DC buildings. This work proposes the use of USB-C wall outlets to power the emerging USB-C ecosystem without need for a wall adapter. We first study the market feasibility of USB-C outlets through a series of customer discovery interviews. We then perform several experiments to evaluate the technical feasibility. These include a comparative evaluation of efficiency and a thermal experiment to study how the heat from outlet's conversion loss can be dissipated through an exterior wall section.

Comparison of fast daylighting climate-based simulation methods for parametric design: two-phase, three-phase method and path tracing

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Computer modeling and simulation are essential for predicting architectural solutions performance. When integrated into the design process; they are known as performance-based design. During the design process, fast analytical cycles are required. However, daylighting simulations are challenging due to computational processing and time requirements. This paper presents a comparative study of fast daylight simulation methods, two-phase, three-phase and path tracing, in a hypothetical commercial building located in Miami, Florida. Five types of static glass and one electrochromic glass were tested with six parametric models of a translucent horizontal shading device. Daysim was used as reference. The two-phase method produced results similar to the reference results with faster processing times for static facades. For dynamic facades, the path tracing method with the tested interface enabled faster simulations and parametric variations. However, the three-phase method yielded a...

Constraining the astrophysical i process: The Kr87(n,γ)Kr88 reaction rate

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Recent astronomical observations indicate that additional nucleosynthesis pathways are required to understand some atypical elemental abundance patterns revealed by new observations. One such process that can help to explain these observations is the intermediate neutron-capture process (i process). The nuclear properties of isotopes involved in this nucleosynthesis pathway are experimentally well constrained with the exception of the neutron-capture reaction rates, which are provided almost entirely by theory. In this paper, the first experimentally constrained reaction rate on the Kr87(n,γ)Kr88 reaction is provided by employing the β-Oslo method. The impact of this reaction on the abundance of rubidium within the i process is investigated.

Reverse polarization degradation of nickel iron oxyhydroxide anodes in alkaline water electrolysis

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We report the effect of reverse polarization on thin-film Ni(Fe)OOH anodes in conditions that mirror those seen in commercial alkaline water electrolyzer stacks. Regardless of the extent of the reverse polarization potential, the anodic charge capacity decreases over successive cycles, indicating loss of active Ni2+/Ni3+ sites. Electrodes held for a longer period in the reduced state exhibited an accelerated catalyst loss through dissolution and structural reorganization during reverse polarization. In situ Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed a significant decrease in the Fe:Ni surface ratio after reverse polarization, which correlates with a measurable decline in activity toward the oxygen evolution reaction. These findings illustrate how nickel iron oxyhydroxide anodes degrade during reverse polarization conditions and how managing the dissolved ions in the recirculating KOH improves anode lifetimes.

Symmetry and Historicity in the Game of Life: Modifying Rules to Simulate Evolutionary Dynamics

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Game of Life (GoL) is a paradigmatic computer simulation that exhibits the emergence of complex properties of the whole from relatively simple sets of heuristic rules operating at lower organizational levels. Therefore, it is widely understood as a valuable tool for investigating global properties of evolutionary processes. Cognizant of refined concepts that emerged in recent debates on the central role of historical contingency (historicity) in evolution, we modify the original GoL rules by introducing an updating feedback loop and a probability factor that reflect the degree of historicity in pattern evolution as both stochastic path dependence and sensitivity to initial conditions. We examine this trait in simulations of the emergence and breaking of bilateral and radial symmetries commonly observed in the evolution of life, most prominently as evolving body plans. We show that the implementation of historicity parameters leads to a more realistic sequential and gradual...

Field Validation of Electrochemical Water Filtration System on an Open Loop Cooling Tower at Nissan Manufacturing Plant in Canton, Mississippi

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Project Background The Industrial Technology Validation (ITV) program aims to identify and demonstrate the performance of new, emerging, and underutilized technologies in the industrial sector to help inform decisions towards accelerating commercialization and deployment. One such ITV project is to demonstrate the performance of an electrochemical water treatment technology on a cooling tower at an automotive plant. Cooling towers are vital equipment for dissipating heat from industrial processes. However, they face challenges related to scaling, corrosion, and the growth of biological contaminants. Effective cooling tower water filtration and treatment is essential to reduce these contaminants, along with other total suspended solids (TSS) and total dissolved solids (TDS) in the system. Various treatment systems, such as sand-based filters, centrifugal separators, and disc filters, offer distinct advantages and limitations. ElectroCell Systems offers a skid-mounted, electrochemical...

CO2 Conversion to Butene via a Tandem Photovoltaic–Electrochemical/Photothermocatalytic Process: A Co-design Approach to Coupled Microenvironments

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We developed a tandem, unassisted, solar-driven electrochemical and photothermocatalytic process for the single-pass conversion of CO2 to butene using only simulated solar irradiation as the energetic input. The two-step process involves electrochemical CO2 reduction (CO2R) to ethylene followed by ethylene dimerization to butene. We assessed two unassisted electrochemical setups to concentrate ethylene in the CO2R reactor, achieving concentrations up to 5.4 vol% with 1.8% average solar-to-ethylene conversion and 5.6% average CO2-to-ethylene single-pass conversion under 1-sun illumination. When the effluent electrochemical gas stream was passed through the photothermocatalytic ethylene oligomerization reactor, we generated 600 ppm of butene under 3-sun illumination. Through analysis of this process, we identified that the presence of H2, CO, and H2O leads to rapid deactivation of the Ni-based ethylene oligomerization catalyst.

Field Validation of Electrochemical Water Filtration System on an Open Loop Cooling Tower at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Plant in Blue Springs, Mississippi

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The U.S. Department of Energy Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office’s Industrial Technology Validation (ITV) program aims to identify and demonstrate the performance of new, emerging, and underutilized technologies in the industrial sector to help inform decisions towards accelerating commercialization and deployment. One such ITV project is to demonstrate the performance of an electrochemical water treatment technology on a cooling tower at an automotive plant. Cooling towers are vital equipment for dissipating heat from industrial processes. However, they face challenges related to scaling, corrosion, and the growth of biological contaminants. Effective cooling tower water filtration and treatment is essential to reduce these contaminants, along with other total suspended solids (TSS) and total dissolved solids (TDS) in the system. Various treatment systems, such as sand-based filters, centrifugal separators, and disc filters, offer distinct advantages and limitations....

Magnetic character of the low-energy enhancement in 70Zn

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The transition of an atomic nucleus from an excited state to a state of lower energy is typically accompanied by the emission of photons. The likelihood of photon emission is a function of the photon energy and of properties of the initial and final nuclear states and is known as the photon (or γ-ray) strength function (γSF)1,2. Of the features present in the γSF, an enhancement in the low-energy region has been observed in some nuclei, but the electromagnetic nature of this enhancement remains an open question3,4. This low-energy enhancement in the γSF significantly impacts our understanding of how elements are created in stars and the structure of the nucleus5,6. Here we present the results from an experiment on the γSF of 70Zn that show that the enhancement in the γSF of this nucleus is of magnetic nature. This observation helps address a long-open question about γSFs in atomic nuclei and directly impacts our predictive capabilities in nuclear science.

Going Big on Small Buildings: Spotlight on efforts to improve controls for packaged rooftop HVAC units

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Commercial buildings with a floor area under 50,000 square feet comprise 95% of commercial buildings in the United States, representing almost half of all commercial buildings’ energy use. These buildings are typically underserved in terms of energy efficiency programs and are far more likely to be located in rural and disadvantaged communities, when compared with larger commercial buildings. The past decade has seen significant growth in the array of smart, innovative control technology options available for small to medium buildings, but currently, only 13% of buildings under 50,000 square feet have a building automation system installed. With expected 10% - 20% savings from installing controls, this represents a technical potential of 39 million tons reduction in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, while simultaneously improving energy affordability for small business owners in disadvantaged communities and improving occupant comfort. Improved controls also enable more advanced...

AI@ALS Workshop Report: Machine Learning Needs at the Advanced Light Source

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

AI@ALS Workshop Report: Machine Learning Needs at the Advanced Light Source

Zero Net Energy Retrofits for Small Commercial Offices: Zero Net Energy Package and Tubular Daylighting Device FLEXLAB Test Results Report

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This report is a part of the California Energy Commission Electric Program Investment Charge program study “Zero Net Energy Retrofits for Small Commercial Offices”. The four-year research study launched in January 2017 and it involves lab testing, field demonstration, performance measurement and verification, and occupant engagement efforts to move an integrated set of emerging commercial retrofit technologies into wider adoption in order for small commercial offices to achieve zero net energy (ZNE) performance. This document provides the results of the FLEXLAB testing of a ZNE retrofit package applicable to both Southern and Northern California climates. The retrofit package consisted of modulating supply diffusers, LED lighting and daylight dimming, reduced plug load power and tubular daylighting devices (TDDs) for providing daylighting into core spaces. This document also provides the daylighting availability and lighting energy reduction potential specifically for the TDDs....

Assessing Thermodynamic Selectivity of Solid-State Reactions for the Predictive Synthesis of Inorganic Materials

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Synthesis is a major challenge in the discovery of new inorganic materials. Currently, there is limited theoretical guidance for identifying optimal solid-state synthesis procedures. We introduce two selectivity metrics, primary and secondary competition, to assess the favorability of target/impurity phase formation in solid-state reactions. We used these metrics to analyze 3520 solid-state reactions in the literature, ranking existing approaches to popular target materials. Additionally, we implemented these metrics in a data-driven synthesis planning workflow and demonstrated its application in the synthesis of barium titanate (BaTiO₃). Using an 18-element chemical reaction network with first-principles thermodynamic data from the Materials Project, we identified 82985 possible BaTiO₃ synthesis reactions and selected 9 for experimental testing. Characterization of reaction pathways via synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction reveals that our selectivity metrics...

Net Change in Energy Use from Ridehail Services in Five California Regions

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Previously, we estimated the net change in energy use from ridehail services in Austin Texas. This estimate was based, in part, on assumptions regarding the number of rides involving two pooled parties and the distance drivers commuted into their service area to begin their driving day. The recent release of a year’s worth of Uber ridehail rides provided to California agencies, as well as recent surveys of driver commute behavior and the previous mode replaced by ridehail services, have enabled more accurate estimates of the net change in energy use from ridehail services statewide and in five regional markets. We find that the net reduction in energy use from more-efficient vehicles and pooled rides does not offset the additional increase in commute and between-ride deadhead kilometers and replacing more efficient modes with ridehail services. The net result is a 96% increase in statewide energy use (ranging from a 75% to a 123% increase in each region).

A Power-Centric Digitally-Managed 48V Distribution Technology

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Technologies such as USB and Ethernet can be used to power devices in buildings, but have burdens of cost and energy efficiency that make them unsuitable as a primary means of distributing power to most loads in buildings. This paper describes a proposed standard for 48V DC power distribution in buildings suitable for powering most loads in residential and commercial buildings. It includes both general data communication as well as communication for managing the distribution of power. The maximum power is targeted at 1000 W with options for low- and high-power circuits to minimize costs.11This work was supported by the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building Technologies Office, of the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231. This work was supported by the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building Technologies Office, of the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231.

Impact of undergraduate research internships at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Impact of undergraduate research internships at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Search for dark mesons decaying to top and bottom quarks in proton-proton collisions at s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector