Research on Coffee Pest's Gut Microbes Aids Fight Against It

Scientists discovered that coffee berry borers worldwide share 14 bacterial species in their digestive tracts that degrade and detoxify caffeine. They also found the most prevalent of these bacteria has a gene that helps break down caffeine. Their research sheds light on the microbiome of the destructive bug and could lead to new ways to fight it. Go here for Spanish version of video. More> 

 

Lab Contributes to Assessment of Hydraulic Fracturing in California

 

The assessment discusses how hydraulic fracturing and acid well stimulation could affect water, atmosphere, seismic activity, wildlife and vegetation, and human health in California and identifies knowledge gaps and alternative practices that could avoid or mitigate these possible impacts. More>  

 

A Better Way to Screen Chemicals for Cancer-Causing Effect

 

Paul Yaswen is developing a cell culture that better identifies chemicals that increase breast cancer susceptibility. His team will grow the culture using adult stem cells obtained from breast tissue. Unlike today's cell cultures, their test will show if a chemical causes a breakdown in cell-to-cell communication...a fundamental defect of cancer. More>  

 

Driverless Taxis Would Deliver Environmental, Economic Benefits

 

Imagine a fleet of driverless taxis roaming your city, ready to take you to your destination at a moment's notice. It may be only a matter of time before it becomes reality. And according to a new study by Jeff Greenblatt and Samveg Saxena, such a system would both be cost-effective and greatly reduce per-mile emissions of greenhouse gases. More>      

 

Radiation Safety for Sunken-Ship Archaeology  

 

Berkeley Lab researchers are helping scientists determine the radiation risk of exploring the USS Independence, a World War II aircraft carrier used for atomic-bomb target practice, which was scuttled off the coast of California in the 1950s. More>  

Scientists Eye Drones to Contain Wildfires  

 

During a recent episode of KQED's Forum program, physicist Carl Pennypacker talks about an innovative firefighting system he is working on. Called FUEGO, the system uses a satellite and drones equipped with infrared cameras to spot wildfires. More>  

CalWave's Underwater 'Carpets' Harness Wave Power

 

     

Bloomberg News recently featured a profile of Marcus Lehmann, a researcher with the Lab's Cyclotron Road, and the CalWave project, an underwater mechanism of springy fiberglass "carpets" that generates electricity from ocean waves more efficiently and less obtrusively than wave-energy systems at the surface. More>  

Searching Amazon Forest for Clues to Climate Change, Drought   

 

For several days at a time each week, earth scientist Kolby Jardine rambles along slippery, oft-muddy roads for miles into the heart of the Central Amazon. His goal is to assess the impact of climate change in some of the most lush, diverse and undisturbed jungle on the planet, and perhaps gain a better understanding of California's drought. More>  

Moving Towards a Body-on-a-Chip     

 

Scientists around the world - including materials scientist Anurag Mathur - are creating new drug-testing devices that put cells from human organs onto chips. The medical breakthroughs could greatly speed drug testing, reduce the use of laboratory animals, and allow for experiments that would be too risky for human volunteers. More>  

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