2017’s Top Stories from the Office of Science

From ancient astrophysical signals to the newest x-ray imaging technology, the news stories we published in 2017 spanned the breadth and depth of discovery research supported by the Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Science.

Our stories fall into four categories, each focusing on a different aspect of our work: original features, laboratory articles, university articles, and research highlights. We've compiled the five most popular articles of each type over the course of the year.

In 2017, we also published 40 Years of Research Milestones, a collection of 40 major papers from DOE's history, as well as a roundup of the Office of Science's 27 R&D 100 Award Finalists.

Original Feature Articles

The Office of Science's Communications and Public Affairs team's original feature articles provide perspectives on our work that readers will find nowhere else. Longform feature articles provide big picture views of major research topics, from quark-gluon plasma to permafrost. Profiles of user facility directors and National Science Bowl alumni put a personal spin on some of our nation's greatest resources. 

Top five original feature articles:

National Laboratory Articles

The Office of Science's 10 national laboratories report on their latest research news with timely press releases and features. They also profile scientists to highlight the passion and commitment behind the research.

Top five national laboratory articles:

University Articles

The Office of Science supports scientists, engineers, and students at nearly 300 academic institutions across the United States. These universities tell the stories of the discoveries that emerge from this research.

Top five university articles:

Research Highlights

Research highlights summarize published journal articles at national laboratories and universities based on work supported by the Office of Science. These articles feature findings that the Office of Science programs themselves choose to amplify.

Top five research highlights:

 

The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic energy research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information please visit https://science.energy.gov.