It is a biologist's daily business to look for correlations in data, and even though correlation does not imply causation, it can provide a starting point for further experiments. If manipulation of one factor in a system changes the response, scientists assume there is causality. This well-tested approach starts to run into trouble when systems become more complex. 

Hiromi Ozaki, known by her artist's name, Sputniko!, is a Japanese British artist combining art and technology to explore social issues. Her work integrates scientific concepts and emerging technologies to question perspectives and highlight important social and environmental issues. 

OIST science writer Merle Naidoo recently interviewed Sputniko! for the OIST podcast. 

Sputniko! frequently collaborates with scientists, as seen in her project titled “Red Silk of Fate” involving bioengineered silk that combines genetic engineering with cultural mythology. Inspired by Asian mythologies about a red silk line that connects two people who are destined to be together, she collaborated with Prof. Hideki Sezutsu from the University of Tokyo, who also serves as the Research Director at the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), to create genetically engineered red silk that contains the “love hormone” oxytocin. 

In this podcast episode, Sputniko! discusses the beginnings and challenges of her artistic journey, explaining how science and technology have become central themes in her work. She also shares the inspiration behind her latest exhibition, "Coral Colors," which was on display at the OIST Tunnel Gallery from November 29 to January 9. 

Made up of a four-man team that has been conducting research together for decades, Professor B. Don Russell and Principal Research Engineers Carl Benner, Jeffrey Wischkaemper and Karthick Manivannan are working on a nearly $3.2 million Department of Energy (DOE) project titled “Preventing Wildfire Ignition from Powerline Equipment Failures Using ML-Based Classification of Real-Time Electrical Measurements.” What started as a focus on failure diagnosis of mechanisms on power lines evolved into wildfire and power outage prevention caused by power lines.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Sandia National Laboratories achieved a record-breaking economic impact of $5.2 billion for 2024, surpassing the previous year’s figure by more than $423 million.

WASHINGTON, D.C – Hundreds of thousands of people will descend on Washington, D.C., for the 47th Presidential Inauguration on Jan. 20. Keeping the crowds safe is a top priority for first responders and security personnel.

The MMRI Summer Fellowship is a 10-week hands-on scientific training program for undergraduate and graduate students. The 2025 fellowship will take place from Monday, May 19, 2025, through Friday, July 25, 2025, at the MMRI campus, located at 2150 Bleecker Street, Utica, New York. The program is open to both local students and students from across the country. Fellows can expect to engage in hands-on research, receive mentorship from some of the nation’s leading researchers and gain valuable experience in the field.

Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a new automated testing capability for semiconductor devices, which is newly available to researchers and industry partners in the Grid Research Integration and Deployment Center, or GRID-C.