IDAHO FALLS, Idaho, Aug. 25 -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory issued the following news release: Battelle Energy Alliance (BEA) has initiated contract negotiations with a team led by Bechtel National Inc. to support the design and build phase of the Versatile Test Reactor, a one-of-a-kind facility that would support research and development of innovative, clean nuclear energy technologies. The BNI team also includes TerraPower and GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy. The annou  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 25 -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory issued the following news release on Aug. 24: U.S. Department of Energy awards announced in July will advance Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) R&D to develop a more effective and compact particle-beam system for cancer treatment, improve particle-beam performance using artificial intelligence, and develop a high-power, rapid-fire laser system for both tabletop and large-scale applica  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board's Resident Inspector in Los Alamos National Laboratory issued the following weekly report: MEMORANDUM FOR: Christopher J. Roscetti, Technical Director FROM: J.W. Plaue and D. Gutowski, Resident Inspectors SUBJECT: Los Alamos Activity Report for Week Ending August 7, 2020 Plutonium Facility-Safety Basis Compliance: Last Thursday, workers checking material-atrisk (MAR) values for waste containers in the basement found one with   more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 24 -- The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board's Resident Inspector in Los Alamos National Laboratory issued the following weekly report: MEMORANDUM FOR: Christopher J. Roscetti, Technical Director FROM: J.W. Plaue and D. Gutowski, Resident Inspectors SUBJECT: Los Alamos Activity Report for Week Ending July 31, 2020 N3B-Organizational Learning: Last Thursday, N3B senior management paused activities at Area G and then held a company-wide stand down. The instigating events   more

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, Aug. 29 -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory issued the following news release: When NASA's Perseverance rover lands on Mars in February after its seven-month-long journey, the mission will only just be beginning. What will a day in the life of the rover look like as it traverses the dusty surface of the Red Planet, looking for signs of past life? And what features of the landing site are most of interest? In a new episode of the Mars Technic  more

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, Aug. 29 -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory issued the following news release: New Mexico companies seeking to develop new technology products may qualify for technical assistance from the state's two national laboratories. Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories are offering up to $150,000 in free technical assistance per business per year, allowing collaboration with lab scientists and engineers in activities such a  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 25 -- The U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration issued the following news release: Last week, Lisa E. Gordon-Hagerty, Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and U.S. Department of Energy's Under Secretary for Nuclear Security, continued her tour of the Nuclear Security Enterprise by visiting the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas. U.S. Rep. William "Mac" Thornberry joined the Administrator's visit where they met with mem  more

OAK RIDGE, Tennessee, Aug. 27 -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory issued the following news release: The Department of Energy has selected Oak Ridge National Laboratory to lead a collaboration charged with developing quantum technologies that will usher in a new era of innovation. From computers exponentially more powerful than today's leading systems to sensors with unprecedented precision, quantum technologies promise to greatly increase understanding of the worl  more

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico, Aug. 29 -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Sandia National Laboratories issued the following news release: Eligible New Mexico companies can submit statements of intent to work with scientists and engineers at Sandia or Los Alamos national laboratories through a new program to advance technologies derived from the labs into market-ready products and services. The Technology Readiness Gross Receipts Tax Credit Initiative allows selected companies to receive up to $150,0  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory issued the following research highlight: Contributions from researchers across Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) were recognized in the preliminary findings of a Secretary of Energy Advisory Board (SEAB) report from a working group dedicated to the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) capabilities and future in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. PNNL researchers' expertise is p  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration issued the following news release on Aug. 28: Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that the Department's Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding $1.1 million in CARES Act Recovery Assistance grants to capitalize and administer Revolving Loan Funds (RLFs) that will provide critical gap financing to small businesses and entrepreneurs adversely affected by the coronavirus p  more

WAYNE, New Jersey, Aug. 25 -- William Paterson University issued the following news on Aug. 24: Physical evidence found in caves in Laos shows a connection between the end of the Green Sahara - when once heavily vegetated Northern Africa became a desert landscape - and a previously unknown megadrought that crippled Southeast Asia 4,000 to 5,000 years ago. In a paper published in Nature Communications (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-17927-6), an international team of researchers le  more