Soils from Six Continents Add Up to Largest Database of Viruses Beneath Our Feet
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
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.
Security Professionals Face Cyberattacks in Real-Time Trainings at PNNL
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.
More Electricity Transmission Lines Would Lower Costs, Increase Reliability
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.
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
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
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
