Feature Articles

The Arctic is warming faster than any other area of the planet.

How environmental change affects the landscape, weather patterns and infrastructure for communities — not just here but across the world — is of keen interest to scientists studying climate change.

Researchers led by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have been crisscrossing the Alaskan tundra for the past 12 years, collecting data as part of the Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments in the Arctic project, or NGEE Arctic. They’re tracking rapid changes across the treeless tundra landscape as the climate warms.

Biochemist David Baker — just announced as a recipient of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry — turned to the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) for information he couldn’t get anywhere else. HFIR is the strongest reactor-based neutron source in the United States.  

On Thursday, Oct. 8, Downtown Island Airport (DKX) transformed into an inspiring runway for learning as Oak Ridge National Laboratory partnered with United Way and local community schools to host the "Soar into STEM" Traveling Science Fair. 

ORNL’s Traveling Science Fair celebrated its revitalized return after a hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic, welcoming over 500 local 5th-grade students from underserved areas. The lab partnered with the general aviation airport, located just across the river from downtown Knoxville, to highlight its connection to aviation science. 

Lab exhibits and staff showcased ORNL's innovations in aviation fuels, quiet engine technology and advanced materials as well as expertise in modeling and simulation to optimize aircraft design and performance for greater sustainability.