[Updated on September 9, 2024 with new details] The current Biden-Harris administration and Project 2025, a potential blueprint for a second Trump term, offer starkly different visions for the future of American science. Harris. While vice president, Harris joined Biden in proposing substantial investments and reforms aimed at addressing major issues like climate change, public…

The 2011 Fukushima disaster sent shockwaves through the nuclear industry, sparking a global quest for safer reactor designs. At Argonne National Laboratory, scientists are tackling this challenge head-on by exploring the extreme behavior of nuclear fuels at unimaginable temperatures. Researchers at Argonne successfully measured and analyzed the structure of molten plutonium oxide (PuO2) at temperatures…

The R&D World Index (RDWI) for the week ending August 30, 2024 closed at 3,969.84 for the 25 companies in the RDWI. The Index was up 0.57% (or 22.41 basis points). Seventeen RDWI members gained value last week from 0.08% (Microsoft) to 7.30% (Intel). Eight RDWI members lost value last week from -0.12% (Stellantis NV)…

A recent study focused on polymer binders could point to future breakthroughs in solid-state batteries, enabling safer, more powerful, and longer-lasting energy storage. Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have discovered that the molecular weight of these often-overlooked components plays a crucial role in the performance and durability of sulfide solid-state electrolytes (SSEs), a key…

The R&D World Index (RDWI) for the week ending August 23, 2024, closed at 3,947.43 for the 25 companies in the RDWI. The Index was up 1.78% (or 68.94 basis points). Twenty-two RDWI members gained value last week from 0.11% (Meta Platforms) to 7.23% (Ford Motor). Three RDWI members lost value the previous week from…

The R&D World Index (RDWI) was up 2.91% with Cisco leading at 8.78%, in spite of its lay-off announcement. In the week ending August 16, the index closed at 3878.49 for the 25 companies in the RDWI. The Index was up 2.91% (or 109.53 basis points). Twenty-one RDWI members gained value last week from 0.95%…

The R&D World Index (RDWI) climbed 2.57% this week, with Eli Lilly leading the charge at a 10.84% gain, while tech giants ramp up AI investments amidst regulatory challenges. In the week ending August 9, 2024, the index closed at 3768.96 for the 25 companies in the RDWI. The index was up 2.57% (or 94.45…

For six decades, the R&D 100 Awards have been a benchmark of achievement in science and technology, often referred to informally as “The Oscars of Innovation.” This year, we’re offering a new interactive experience, allowing you to explore the remarkable work of both winners and finalists across diverse fields. From advances in mechanical and material…

R&D World has unveiled the winners of the 2024 R&D 100 Professional Awards. A panel of 56 prestigious industry experts from around the globe selected the honorees. The list of 2024 winners follows, along with highlights from their nomination letters. These winners will be formally awarded at the R&D 100 Awards Banquet at the Esmeralda…

NTT Research is playing the long game, tackling challenges that others shy away from. While many R&D labs focus on a relatively near-term ROI for research, NTT is more patient, taking a page from storied labs like Bell Labs and Xerox PARC that prioritize bigger, riskier but potentially more transformative bets. Its website declares: “Our…

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), Santa Clara, California, announced last week that its data-center revenue more than doubled year over year, exceeding Wall Street analyst’s estimates. The company also raised its forecast for this year’s sale of AI chips to more than $4.5 billion, an increase of 13% from its forecast three months ago. While this…

Two teams of scientists have announced a breakthrough in fusion energy research, demonstrating for the first time the ability to simultaneously achieve high plasma density and confinement in a tokamak reactor. Derived from a Russian acronym, a tokamak is a donut-shaped experimental device that uses magnetic fields to make use of the energy of nuclear…

Advent Diamond, a diamond semiconductor technology, has announced the release of the ClearXCam 2304, a novel X-ray beam monitoring technology. Traditionally, diamond has been employed for X-ray beam monitoring with four-quadrant monitors. The new ClearXCam 2304, however, delivers 2304-pixel images of X-ray beams in real-time, thanks to video-rate imaging. According to Advent Diamond, the new…

The global automation firm Emerson (NYSE: EMR) had announced a major update to its Ovation automation platform. Ovation 4.0 introduces a software-defined architecture designed to empower utilities in the power and water industries to tap data, new technologies, and artificial intelligence (AI) for enhanced operational excellence, reliability, affordability, and sustainability. Ovation 4.0 integrates and delivers…

First Solar, Tempe, Arizona, recently commissioned what it dubs ‘the largest thin-film R&D center in the Western Hemisphere.’ The company — the U.S.’s largest solar panel manufacturer — has sited its Jim Nolan Center for Solar Innovation in Lake Township, Ohio, which is just south of Akron. The 1.3-million-ft² facility includes a pilot manufacturing line…

In an era where renewable energy is swiftly gaining popularity, nuclear energy may seem like it’s fading. Yet the energy source could play a crucial role in transforming the U.S. energy sector to combat climate change. It already generates a fifth of the nation’s electricity (775 billion kilowatt hours of electricity and 48% of America’s…

Picture this: You’re walking down a busy city street. With each step, the sidewalk beneath your feet captures the energy of your footfall. Nearby, a skyscraper’s windows glimmer, not just with sunlight, but with nanoscale generators converting wind vibrations into electricity. Meanwhile, the roads, covered in piezoelectric crystals, translate vibrations from passing vehicles into electricity.…

Hy2gen Canada Inc., a subsidiary of Hy2gen AG, has won a block of electricity by Quebec’s Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Energy (MEIE) for producing green hydrogen and ammonia in Baie-Comeau. This project is a significant step towards the decarbonization of Quebec. It will contribute to the local economy through job creation and the development…

Nano and Advanced Materials Institute’s (NAMI) dual-performing coolants, based on segregated fluorination technology, with specific operating temperature, high heat of vaporization, specific heat, and thermal conductivity, can overcome the drawback of high-power usage effectiveness (PUE) of single-phase cooling and the high maintenance cost of a two-phase cooling system. Through molecular engineering, NAMI can achieve high…

ABB and CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics, have identified significant energy-saving potential through a strategic research partnership focused on the cooling and ventilation system at one of the world’s leading laboratories for particle physics institutes in Geneva, Switzerland. The study included energy efficiency audits that helped to identify a savings potential of 17.4%…

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) has announced a new neutron measurement facility that will play a critical role in the safe and secure operation and continued development of the U.K.’s nuclear energy, defense, and fusion research sectors. The facility consists of a new particle accelerator and is one of only a few known facilities worldwide…

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has announced a 15-year virtual power purchasing agreement (VPPA) with international solar developer ib vogt. Thermo Fisher’s 91-megawatt portion of the Serbal solar project will deliver approximately 192,000 megawatt hours of renewable electricity annually. Eurofins Scientific, a bioanalytical testing company, collaborated in the aggregated deal for a 36-megawatt portion of the…

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a notice of intent (NOI) for the Office of Electricity to issue a $4.8 million funding opportunity announcement (FOA). This FOA aims to support the development and demonstration of technologies, tools, or systems that enable secure data and control messaging between grid edge infrastructure and distribution system operators.…

As more utilities, industries, and transportation providers look to clean hydrogen to reduce carbon emissions, Mote Inc. has received $1.2 million in grant funding from the U.S. Forest Service, the California Department of Conservation, and the California Department of Forestry (CAL FIRE) to establish its second biomass to hydrogen and carbon sequestration plant in partnership…

From the U.S Department of Energy The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Electricity (OE) announced more than $30 million in awards and funding opportunities at the Energy Storage Grand Challenge (ESGC) Summit in Atlanta. The opportunities include two $15 million Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) for energy storage innovations: one related to long-duration energy…