ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Imagine a satellite observing ships on the ocean. As it takes pictures of each ship, an algorithm decides what kind of vessel it is. But one sneaky sailor paints a pattern on the deck that confuses the satellite, so it can’t decide what it’s looking at. How can the satellite work around […]
Author Archives: Troy Rummler
The race to build the world’s smallest atomic clock, again
August 29, 2023 – 7:32 am
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Yuan-Yu Jau is on a quest to build the world’s smallest atomic clock, a device that measures time with extreme accuracy. If successful, he and his team at Sandia National Laboratories will have made one smaller than a sugar cube. But he’s not the only one pushing the limits of tiny timepieces. […]
Bigger and better quantum computers possible with new ion trap, dubbed the Enchilada
August 17, 2023 – 5:00 am
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Sandia National Laboratories has produced its first lot of a new world-class ion trap, a central component for certain quantum computers. The new device, dubbed the Enchilada Trap, enables scientists to build more powerful machines to advance the experimental but potentially revolutionary field of quantum computing. In addition to traps operated at […]
What do you do with a shrunken laser?
August 1, 2023 – 9:00 am
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The laser is so small you need a microscope to see it properly. But it’s not just the size that scientists at Sandia National Laboratories are excited about. The buzz is that the laser can now be combined with other microscale optical devices to make self-driving cars safer, data centers more efficient, biochemical […]
Stunning discovery: Metals can heal themselves
July 19, 2023 – 9:00 am
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Scientists for the first time have witnessed pieces of metal crack, then fuse back together without any human intervention, overturning fundamental scientific theories in the process. If the newly discovered phenomenon can be harnessed, it could usher in an engineering revolution — one in which self-healing engines, bridges and airplanes could reverse […]
An unlikely plan is helping the U.S. fast-track hypersonic conventional weapons
May 1, 2023 – 5:00 am
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Hypersonic weapons have been a top priority for modernizing the armed forces, with ultrafast, long-range and maneuverable munitions being touted as a revolutionary advance in modern warfare. The U.S. has fast-tracked their development and announced plans to field the first conventional hypersonic missile battery this year. To meet this deadline, some contributing […]
World’s fastest burst-mode X-ray camera hits the road
March 13, 2023 – 5:00 am
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Nuclear reactions are fast. Really fast. Faster than billionths of a second. Your best shot at catching one is with a high-speed X-ray camera that can only be obtained from the Department of Energy’s Sandia National Laboratories. But these cameras could soon become more widely available. Sandia has partnered with Albuquerque-based startup Advanced […]
Biden taps Sandia Labs’ senior leader for quantum advisory committee
March 1, 2023 – 5:00 am
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Deborah Frincke, associate laboratories director of national security programs at Sandia National Laboratories, has been appointed to the National Quantum Initiative Advisory Committee. As a member of this presidential advisory committee, Frincke will help provide an independent assessment of the National Quantum Initiative Program, which was established in 2019 to maintain U.S. […]
Hackers could try to take over a military aircraft; can a cyber shuffle stop them?
February 27, 2023 – 5:00 am
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A cybersecurity technique that shuffles network addresses like a blackjack dealer shuffles playing cards could effectively befuddle hackers gambling for control of a military jet, commercial airliner or spacecraft, according to new research. However, the research also shows these defenses must be designed to counter increasingly sophisticated algorithms used to break them. […]
New superalloy could cut carbon emissions from power plants
February 16, 2023 – 10:42 am
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — As the world looks for ways to cut greenhouse gas emissions, researchers from Sandia National Laboratories have shown that a new 3D-printed superalloy could help power plants generate more electricity while producing less carbon. Sandia scientists, collaborating with researchers at Ames National Laboratory, Iowa State University and Bruker Corp., used a 3D […]
Securing supply chains with quantum computing
February 14, 2023 – 9:09 am
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The Russo-Ukrainian conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic have shown how vulnerable global supply chains can be. International events can disrupt manufacturing, delay shipping, induce panic buying and send energy costs soaring. New research in quantum computing at Sandia National Laboratories is moving science closer to being able to overcome supply-chain challenges and […]
Economic impact: Sandia Labs tops $4.2B in spending for first time, added 480 jobs in FY22
January 11, 2023 – 11:59 am
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — For the first time, Sandia National Laboratories’ contributions to the economy have topped $4.2 billion in a fiscal year, supporting individuals, families and businesses at an unprecedented level. Total spending in fiscal year 2022, which ended Sept. 30, was $312 million more than the previous fiscal year. The spending includes labor, subcontracts, […]