National Science Foundation (NSF)

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National Science Foundation (NSF)

NSF is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950. We fund a significant proportion of federally supported basic research.
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The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950. For official source information about NSF, visit www.nsf.gov

20/05/2026

A new biotechnology security tool uses a genetic passcode to protect valuable cells, much like a passcode that keeps your phone or laptop safe.

NSF-supported researchers developed GeneLock™, a new biological security technology that protects genetic material at the DNA level using a special passcode. The DNA is first scrambled so it cannot function. Only a specific chemical (the passcode) can restore it. Without it, unauthorized users cannot access the cells.

This technology could become an integral biosecurity measure to protect high-value cells used in the manufacturing of protein-based drugs, specialty chemicals, bioplastics and more.

Learn more at: https://www.nsf.gov/bio/updates/new-biotech-tool-locks-valuable-dna-genetic-passcode

📷: Image by Adobe Stock

12/05/2026

Long-lost shipwrecks are being discovered thanks to advancements in robotics. ⚓

New machine learning techniques are enhancing autonomous exploration in remote underwater environments, like in Lake Huron within the NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in Alpena, Michigan, where hundreds of known and suspected shipwrecks met their watery demise.

On the latest "NSF's Discovery Files" podcast, "Using AI to Explore Shipwrecks," learn how NSF-funded researchers are enhancing robotics by combining computer vision with AI and machine learning to uncover centuries-old mysteries. 🚢https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50lkdSdAzjs

📷: Image courtesy of the Machine Learning for Automated Detection of Shipwreck Sites from Large Area Robotic Surveys Year 1 Expedition.

The AI4Shipwrecks dataset was supported by the NOAA Ocean Explorationprogram under Award

01/05/2026

From rubbery angioplasties 🫀 to electrified plastics and much more, the U.S. National Science Foundation has been supporting polymer research and development since the 1970s.

What are polymers?

Polymers are large molecules made by linking smaller units together, like beads on a string, in both natural and synthetic materials, including rubber, silk and everyday plastics. They can be customized — flexible or rigid, soft or tough — making them ideal for everyday products from packaging and clothing to medical devices and electronics.

Learn more about how NSF-funded research laid the groundwork for modern polymer science, which transformed daily life and strengthened U.S. manufacturing. https://www.nsf.gov/impacts/polymers

📸: Maksym/Adobe Stock

29/04/2026

Researchers keep an eye on more than just earthquakes and heatwaves to protect our planet; they also keep a close watch on space weather.

Space weather refers to changes in the space environment that can impact satellite communications, air travel, power grids and more. Like Earth's weather, space weather is constant, and while it cannot be halted, it can be predicted and prepared for.

The U.S. National Science Foundation's ongoing support helps to better understand the complex feedback loop between the sun and Earth's system, protecting critical infrastructure that supports the economy, public safety and national security.

https://www.nsf.gov/science-matters/space-weather-protecting-planet

📸: NSF/NSO/AURA

21/04/2026

Teach the children in your life about DNA with this fun "NSF Discovery Files" episode of "Science for Kids." 🧬

In this episode, kids will learn about living cells and how DNA, the microscopic biological instruction manual or "code of life," makes all living beings, as well as future research with DNA.

Discover how scientists are using DNA to build nanorobots that could fight disease and DNA computers to solve puzzles at superspeed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZgbrYVQ9RI.

17/04/2026

From pixelated to perfection — the evolution of image recognition technology has transformed the modern world. 🤳

Tagging friends in photos has never been easier, but this advanced technology stems from foundational research that began decades ago.

In the 1960s, NSF-funded researchers developed tools to detect edges in images and created algorithms to recognize lines, shapes and basic patterns. Today, image recognition, a branch of artificial intelligence, has progressed to a point where computers can accurately identify and classify visual data in digital images and videos. This technology is based on machine learning, where algorithms learn to recognize visual patterns by analyzing millions of images.

Learn more about how NSF's long-standing investments helped advanced technologies now integral to our daily lives: https://www.nsf.gov/impacts/ai/image-recognition

📷: Alice Kitterman/National Science Foundation

15/04/2026

A U.S. National Science Foundation-supported collaboration is taking bold steps to overcome the memory and computing limitations of modern electronics by investigating the storage potential of DNA.

By precisely controlling how metal ions bind within a DNA molecule, DNA can function as a fully electronic, chip-integrated quantum-scale memory system with the same functions as a typical electronic storage device.

To learn more, listen to "NSF's Discovery Files": https://bit.ly/4m7OG3p

14/04/2026

Artificial intelligence has reached the deep sea, with the help of U.S. National Science Foundation researchers. 🪼🦑

NSF-supported researchers at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute Video Lab analyzed thousands of hours of deep-sea footage to identify and label various animals and objects, creating training data that enhances the accuracy of AI image recognition used to classify ocean life.

This advanced technology uses machine learning, where algorithms learn to recognize visual patterns by examining millions of images. Image recognition is a subfield of AI that the NSF has been investing in since the 1960s, with over $1 billion in funding. This technology enables computers to identify and classify visual data in digital images and videos. 🎥

Learn more about how NSF's investments in visual technology are revolutionizing the way we interact with the world, and even the deep sea. https://www.nsf.gov/impacts/ai/image-recognition

📷: Ocean Vision AI

13/04/2026

Today, NSF announced it has made offers and will award 2,500 fellowships for the 2026-2027 academic year to outstanding graduate students across the United States who are pursuing research-based degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. They were selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants based on their intellectual merit and broader impacts, including their potential to advance scientific innovation. 💡

The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program is one of the nation's most prestigious fellowship programs, providing three years of financial support, over five years, to graduate students who have demonstrated potential for significant achievements in research.

Click here for the full release: https://bit.ly/4cpAHBO.

10/04/2026

Skilled experts are essential for operating super-powerful supercomputers. 👩‍💻

These machines perform complex calculations at unprecedented speeds for demanding scientific and engineering tasks, a rapidly evolving field that requires top-tier training.

That's why NSF is expanding hands-on training opportunities that allow new researchers to use advanced computing tools for discovery and innovation, including access to leading experts and world-class facilities.

Two of those initiatives are the NSF Training-based Workforce Development for Advanced Cyberinfrastructure and NSF Experiential Learning for Emerging and Novel Technologies, which focus on training and expanding the national workforce in advanced cyberinfrastructure and emerging technologies.

Learn more about supercomputers: https://www.nsf.gov/science-matters/supercomputers-powering-american-discovery

📷: San Diego Supercomputer Center

07/04/2026

Have you ever wondered what goes on inside a living cell? researchers have produced the most detailed computer-generated 4D simulation of a dividing cell ever made, capturing how cellular components are made and degraded, how they function and move and how they partition into daughter cells.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/47Du0dO

📷: Graphic by Zane Thornburg

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