National Science Foundation

NSF Director Panchanathan heads the US Delegation at the G20 Chief Science Advisers' Roundtable in India, signs bilateral agreement U.S. National Science Foundation Director Sethuraman Panchanathan traveled to India at the end of August, making stops in three cities: New Delhi, Bengaluru and Gandhinagar. In New Delhi, he announced a new funding opportunity between NSF and the… Published August 31, 2023 at 09:33AM Read more at nsf.gov

Aluminum materials show promising performance for safer, cheaper, more powerful batteries A good battery needs two things: high energy density to power devices; and stability, so it can be safely and reliably recharged thousands of times. For the past three decades, lithium-ion batteries have reigned supreme — proving their performance in… Published August 31, 2023 at 07:00AM Read more at nsf.gov

Two-faced star exposed In a first for white dwarfs, the burnt-out cores of dead stars, astronomers have discovered that at least one member of this cosmic family is two-faced. One side of the white dwarf is composed of hydrogen, the other is made up of helium. "The surface… Published August 30, 2023 at 06:48AM Read more at nsf.gov

Hidden cameras spot wildlife returning home after 2018 megafire During the summer of 2018, the Mendocino Complex Fire ripped through the University of California Hopland Research and Extension Center (HREC), transforming the Northern California property's grassy, oak-dotted hillsides into a smoldering, ash… Published August 29, 2023 at 07:17AM Read more at nsf.gov

Scientists edge toward scalable quantum simulations on a photonic chip Scientists have made an important step toward developing computers advanced enough to simulate complex natural phenomena at the quantum level. While these types of simulations are too cumbersome or outright impossible for classical computers to… Published August 24, 2023 at 06:30AM Read more at nsf.gov

Robotic glove that 'feels' lends a hand to relearn playing piano after a stroke For people who have suffered neurotrauma such as a stroke, everyday tasks can be extremely challenging because of decreased coordination and strength. These problems have spurred the development of robotic devices to help enhance their abilities… Published August 24, 2023 at 06:30AM Read more at nsf.gov

Quantum-scale sensors to yield human-scale benefits with new backing from NSF A new breed of sensors may one day allow doctors to pinpoint infections inside individual cells, or geologists to find subterranean mineral deposits without lifting a shovel. Bringing such innovations to fruition is the goal of 18 research teams… Published August 22, 2023 at 08:00AM Read more at nsf.gov

Insights into how the brain processes and stores words we hear Neuroscientists at Georgetown University Medical Center say the brain's auditory lexicon, a catalog of verbal language, is located in front of the primary auditory cortex, not behind it — a finding that challenges previous understanding of this area… Published August 22, 2023 at 06:30AM Read more at nsf.gov

U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. National Science Foundation announce first cohort in the NSF INTERN program to support growth of the geothermal energy workforce Today, the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. National Science Foundation announced the first cohort of geothermal interns in the NSF INTERN program. Through this collaboration — the first activity coordinated under the NSF-DOE Memorandum of… Published August 21, 2023 at 11:00AM Read more at nsf.gov

Dissolving cardiac device monitors, treats heart disease Nearly 700,000 people in the United States die from heart disease every year, and one-third of those deaths result from complications in the first weeks or months following a traumatic heart-related event. To help prevent those deaths, U.S. National… Published August 17, 2023 at 06:30AM Read more at nsf.gov

More institutions to participate in quantum science and engineering with $38M from NSF The U.S. National Science Foundation is investing $38 million to expand its support for quantum information science and engineering (QISE). From advancing the ways in which we create sustainable energy to improving cyber security, NSF's Expanding… Published August 15, 2023 at 08:00AM Read more at nsf.gov

New insights into the structural changes associated with osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis is the most common degenerative joint disease, affecting 22% of adults over age 40 globally. Although the condition has been extensively studied, the molecular changes associated with osteoarthritis remain unclear. In a new study… Published August 15, 2023 at 06:33AM Read more at nsf.gov

Displays controlled by flexible fins and liquid droplets more versatile, efficient than LED screens Flexible displays that can change color, convey information and even send veiled messages via infrared radiation are now possible, thanks to new research from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. U.S. National Science Foundation-supported… Published August 15, 2023 at 06:36AM Read more at nsf.gov

NSF Director Panchanathan meets with OSTP Director Prabhakar at the University of Nevada, Reno On August 11, U.S. National Science Foundation Director Sethuraman Panchanathan joined White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Arati Prabhakar at the University Nevada, Reno, for a roundtable discussion and to highlight an… Published August 11, 2023 at 12:50PM Read more at nsf.gov

To make drinking water safer, researcher investigates microbial communities living in pipes An engineer at West Virginia University is working to solve the unknowns about microorganisms growing inside pipes that bring drinking water to homes and businesses. Supported by a U.S. National Science Foundation grant, researcher Emily Garner has… Published August 10, 2023 at 07:28AM Read more at nsf.gov

NSF Celebrates First Anniversary of CHIPS and Science Act "For over 70 years, the U.S. National Science Foundation has advanced the frontiers of the full spectrum of science and engineering research and innovation. On August 9, 2022, President Biden signed into law the "CHIPS and Science Act," landmark… Published August 09, 2023 at 08:49AM Read more at nsf.gov

Climate change impact on extreme weather events In a paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists investigate the effects of climate change on exacerbating compounding heat and drought situations. The U.S. National Science Foundation-supported findings offer new… Published August 08, 2023 at 07:50AM Read more at nsf.gov

'Crushing' chemical innovations at the heart of newly expanded NSF center Understanding the atomic-scale mysteries of "crushing" chemistry is the goal of an expanding research center with a newly awarded $20 million investment from the U.S. National Science Foundation. Managed by Texas A&M University, NSF's Center for the… Published August 08, 2023 at 06:00AM Read more at nsf.gov

NSF announces 11 EPSCoR Track-2 awards to bolster innovative and adaptive research infrastructure for climate change research "I'm thrilled to announce this year's EPSCoR Track-2 awards, which will strengthen community and regional efforts to understand the impacts of a changing climate and enhance the resilience of disproportionately affected communities. By addressing… Published August 07, 2023 at 07:00AM Read more at nsf.gov

This week with NSF Director Panchanathan This week, NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan welcomed U.S. Ambassador to Brazil Elizabeth Frawley Bagley to NSF headquarters. Discussions centered around scaling up bilateral collaboration between the U.S. and Brazil, a critical partner to NSF… Published August 04, 2023 at 10:18AM Read more at nsf.gov

Plate tectonics not required for the emergence of life Scientists have taken a journey back in time to unlock the mysteries of Earth's early history using tiny mineral crystals called zircons to study plate tectonics billions of years ago. The research sheds light on the conditions that existed in early… Published August 03, 2023 at 06:29AM Read more at nsf.gov

NSF announces International Multilateral Partnerships for Resilient Education and Science System in Ukraine The U.S. National Science Foundation joined national funding organizations from five European countries for the signing of a memorandum of understanding announcing a new partnership initiative. The new memorandum outlines a research initiative called… Published August 02, 2023 at 09:23AM Read more at nsf.gov

NSF Regional Innovation Engines program selects 16 teams for the final round of competition The U.S. National Science Foundation announced 16 finalists for the first-ever NSF Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) competition, spanning a range of key technology areas and societal and economic challenges highlighted in the "CHIPS and… Published August 02, 2023 at 07:00AM Read more at nsf.gov

Researchers tune thermal conductivity of materials 'on the fly' for more energy-efficient devices A team led by University of Minnesota scientists and engineers has discovered a new method for tuning the thermal conductivity of materials to control heat flow "on the fly." Their tuning range is the highest ever recorded among one-step processes in… Published August 01, 2023 at 07:11AM Read more at nsf.gov