A monthly recap of studies, news, and events at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, based in Richland, Washington.
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A monthly recap of studies, news, and events at

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, based in Richland, Washington

October 2024

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Soils from Six Continents Add Up to Largest Database of Viruses Beneath Our Feet

Photograph shows Emily Graham collecting soil as part of her work studying microbes in the soil.

Scientists have plumbed the depths of nearly 3,000 soil samples from around the globe to put together the heftiest atlas of soil viruses ever created—more than 600,000 fragments of DNA that are likely viruses.

 

But what are all those viruses doing in the soil? More than 97 percent are considered “viral dark matter” that have no known function, no connection to a specific host—something every virus needs to survive. That doesn’t mean they’re doing nothing; it simply means that scientists don’t know what they’re up to. Read more about soil viruses on PNNL’s website

Cloud Computing Captures Chemistry Code

EBSD_0739_WEB_CloudHero

A diverse team of scientists and computing experts led by PNNL, along with colleagues from Microsoft and other national laboratories and universities, are takings steps to democratize access to emerging cloud computing resources. 

 

The effort provides a road map to moving scientific computing resources into a sustainable ecosystem that evolves as the technology advances. Read more about cloud computing on PNNL’s website

Security Professionals Face Cyberattacks in Real-Time Trainings at PNNL

Photograph shows three people gathered around a computer screen. Two are sitting, one is standing behind them.

Across the United States, much of the nation’s critical infrastructure—including water treatment plants, shipping ports, freight railyards and more—are digitizing.  And with more digitization comes opportunities for bad actors to commit cyberattacks. 

 

To prepare for a more digitized future, industry professionals can now visit PNNL to train against simulated cyberattacks on scale models of critical infrastructure. Read more about training for cyberattacks on PNNL’s website.

More Electricity Transmission Lines Would Lower Costs, Increase Reliability

Photograph shows transmission power line towers against a cloudy sky.

Doubling or even tripling the number of transmission lines across the nation would both support the growing demand for energy and maintain the grid’s reliability during extreme events, according to a new report from the Department of Energy’s Grid Deployment Office.

 

Researchers from PNNL and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory calculate that by 2050, transmission expansion would lead to $270–$490 billion in cost savings. Read more about the National Transmission Planning Study on PNNL’s website

Staff Highlights & More

Photograph shows Alison Colotelo holding an award and standing on stage with two people from the National Hydropower Association.

Colotelo (center)

The National Hydropower Association awarded the Outstanding Stewards of America’s Waters award in public education to PNNL’s Alison Colotelo, hydropower program lead and STEM ambassador, and Kristy Pentico, outreach coordinator at Benton Conservation District. They received the award for their work on Salmon Summit, an annual educational event for elementary school students. Read more about the award on PNNL’s website

Photo shows several people looking at transmission lines next to a chain-link fence, behind which is lush vegetation.

EGRASS team

PNNL’s Electrical Grid Resilience and Assessment System not only won a prestigious international R&D 100 Award, but it was also awarded a gold medal in corporate social responsibility for its work in Puerto Rico. EGRASS simulates hurricanes and other natural hazard events, helping energy managers plan for flooding, landslides and other storm-related damage. Read more about EGRASS on PNNL’s website

Headshot of Sergei Kalinin

Kalinin

Sergei Kalinin, a joint appointee at PNNL and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has been selected for the David Adler Lectureship Award in the Field of Materials Physics by the American Physical Society. As part of the honor, Kalinin will present an invited talk at the 2025 APS March meeting in Anaheim, California. Read more about Kalinin’s award on PNNL’s website

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Pacific Northwest National Laboratory draws on its distinguishing strengths in chemistry, Earth sciences, biology and data science to advance scientific knowledge and address challenges in sustainable energy and national security. Founded in 1965, PNNL is operated by Battelle for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science, which is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States. DOE’s Office of Science is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit https://energy.gov/science. For more information about PNNL, visit PNNL's News Center. Follow PNNL on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

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Richland, WA 99354

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