Lauren Charles, a chief data scientist at PNNL, showcased the vital research coming out of her program at The National Academies Forum workshop in Washington, D.C., January 15–16, 2025.

PNNL biodefense experts seek to identify, understand and mitigate the risks of biological pathogens—whether naturally occurring or intentionally created—so steps can be taken to prepare and respond.

Researchers will explore climate, pathogens and energy-efficient microelectronics using 3 million node hours on the nation’s supercomputers.

Recycling polyolefin materials is challenging. One waste management strategy is plastic upcycling. New work demonstrates a single-step upcycling route coupling cracking and alkylation, recycling carbon and keeping valuable resources active.

PNNL’s patented Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion (ShAPE™) technique is an advanced manufacturing technology that enables better-performing materials and components while offering opportunities to reduce costs and energy consumption.

Research at PNNL and the University of Texas at El Paso are addressing computational challenges of thinking beyond the list and developing bioagent-agnostic signatures to assess threats.

Beyond melting ice and higher temperatures: On Earth Day, scientists consider how climate change will affect national security.

Americans produce enough waste every year to replace up to a quarter of the country’s jet fuel with sustainable alternatives, new research shows.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved the construction permit for Kairos Power’s Hermes molten salt test reactor project in Tennessee.

Bradley Crowell with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission sees advanced materials integrity, radiological measurement, and environmental capabilities on his first visit to PNNL.

PNNL receives a 2023 Federal Laboratory Consortium Far West Regional Award for a technological innovation that could help make the U.S. a producer of critical minerals used in electronics and energy production.

PNNL’s ARENA test bed analyzes how electrical cables degrade in extreme environments and how nondestructive examination inspection technologies can detect and locate damage.

PNNL researchers explore the feasibility of using low-flying drones to survey sites for low levels of radiation.

As the world races to discover solutions for reaching net zero carbon emissions, a PNNL analysis quantifies the economic value of the existing nuclear power fleet and its carbon-free energy contributions.

A PNNL innovation uses steam to recover heat from the high-temperature reactor effluent in the HTL process, substantially reducing the propensity for fouling and potentially reducing costs.

Radha Kishan Motkuri lends skill and knowledge to co-lead special edition journal.

Microbes that were previously frozen in soils are becoming more active. This study demonstrates the diverse RNA viral communities found in thawed permafrost.

PNNL gathered researchers from eight national laboratories plus the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to share ideas and build synergy at the Energy Equity and Environmental Justice Summit.

Scientists can detect the virus that causes COVID-19 by using a bubble that spills its contents like a piñata when encountering the virus.

From landfills to fill-ups: novel catalysts may make plastic upcycling cleaner and more cost-effective.