2014 | U.S. DOE Office of Science (SC)

Most of Earth's Carbon May Be Hidden in the Planet's Inner Core, New Model Suggests

University of Michigan researchers and their colleagues suggest that iron carbide, Fe7C3, provides a good match for the density and sound velocities of Earth's inner core under the relevant conditions.

Science Casts Light on Persimmon Pairing and Plant Hybrids

Scientists at the University of California, Davis, and Kyoto University in Japan have discovered how sex is determined in a species of persimmon, potentially opening up new possibilities in plant breeding

Carbon Deep Beneath Earth's Surface Offers Clues to History of Life

Johns Hopkins University led team also developed new theory about how diamonds form.

"Mind the Gap" Between Atomically Thin Materials

For the first time, the Penn State researchers grew a single atomic layer of tungsten diselenide on a one- atom-thick substrate of graphene with pristine interfaces between the two layers.

Study Gets to the Roots of Plants' Natural Sunscreen

A new study at Purdue University examined the properties and mechanics of the molecule plants use to absorb harmful ultraviolet-B radiation, and its SPF rating would be off the charts.

New Versatile Process Efficiently Converts Biomass to Liquid Fuel

Researchers at Purdue University have demonstrated a new process to convert all biomass into liquid fuel, and the method could make possible mobile processing plants.

Formula Developed by Wright State Scientists Could Shed Light on Global Climate Change

Wright State University researchers have discovered a formula that accurately predicts the rate at which soil develops from the surface to the underlying rock.

Stanford Engineers Use Technique From Petrochemical Industry to Store Solar Energy

Chemical engineers at Stanford have designed a catalyst that could help produce vast quantities of pure hydrogen through electrolysis.

A Billion Holes Can Make a Battery

Researchers at the University of Maryland have invented a single tiny structure that includes all the components of a battery that they say could bring about the ultimate miniaturization of energy storage components.

New Technology Tracks Carcinogens As They Move Through the Body

Researchers at Oregon State for the first time have developed a method to track through the human body the movement of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, as extraordinarily tiny amounts of these potential carcinogens are biologically processed and eliminated.

New Findings Could Point the Way to “Valleytronics”

Researchers at MIT clear hurdles toward a new kind of 2-D microchip using different electron properties.

The Simplest Element: Turning Hydrogen Into “Graphene”

New work from Carnegie's Ivan Naumov and Russell Hemley delves into the chemistry underlying some surprising recent observations about hydrogen, and reveals remarkable parallels between hydrogen and graphene under extreme pressures.