VENUS rising: A new dawn for AI-powered atomic-scale 3D imaging

The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory added a new neutron scattering instrument to its powerhouse of discovery at the Spallation Neutron Source, charting new territory for neutron imaging through artificial intelligence. In July, DOE’s Office of Science approved the final commissioning of the Versatile Neutron Imaging Instrument, or VENUS.

Unlocking nature’s secrets: neutrons illuminate environmental and biological mysteries”

Neutron techniques are revolutionizing environmental and biological sciences, offering new ways to study complex systems like soil-root interactions and plant-microbe dynamics. Recent advancements in neutron imaging and scattering provide unprecedented insights, helping to address critical global challenges such as climate change and sustainable agriculture.

Researchers demonstrate novel technique to observe molten salt intrusion in nuclear-grade graphite

In response to a renewed international interest in molten salt reactors, researchers from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a novel technique to visualize molten salt intrusion in graphite.

50 years after NASA’s Apollo mission, moon rocks still have secrets to reveal

NASA scientists are using neutrons at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to study moon rocks collected from the Apollo space missions. The samples are made of dust and rock fragments that combined and struck the moon’s surface possibly billions of years ago. As plans to travel to Mars progress, insights into the rocks could reveal more about the formation of the solar system and where water might be found on the moon.

Found: The ‘holy grail of catalysis’ — turning methane into methanol under ambient conditions using light

An international team of researchers, led by scientists at the University of Manchester, has developed a fast and economical method of converting methane, or natural gas, into liquid methanol at ambient temperature and pressure. The method takes place under continuous flow over a photo-catalytic material using visible light to drive the conversion.
To help observe how the process works and how selective it is, the researchers used neutron scattering at the VISION instrument at Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Spallation Neutron Source.