Invisibility Cloak Makes 3D Objects Disappear
Materials scientist Xiang Zhang led the creation of an ultra-thin invisibility "skin" cloak that can conform to the shape of an object and conceal it from detection with visible light. Although this cloak is only microscopic in size, the principles behind the technology should enable it to be scaled-up to conceal macroscopic items as well. More> 
 
Fortifying Computer Chips for Space Travel
 
One of the most long-lived and active space-chip testing programs is at the Berkeley Lab. Since 1979, most American satellites and many major NASA projects - including the Mars Rover Curiosity, the space shuttles, and the new Orion capsule - have had one or more electronic components go through Berkeley Lab's cyclotron. More>  
 
Soaking Up Carbon Dioxide & Turning it into Valuable Products
 
Chris Chang and Omar Yaghi led a study in which covalent organic frameworks were embedded with cobalt porphyrins to produce a molecular system that that not only absorbs carbon dioxide, but also selectively reduces it to carbon monoxide, a primary building block for a wide range of chemical products. More>  
 
Gaming Computers Offer Huge, Untapped Energy Savings Potential   
 
In the first study of its kind, the Lab's Evan Mills co-authored an investigation of the aggregate global energy use of personal computers designed for gaming and found gamers can achieve energy savings of more than 75 percent by changing some settings and swapping out some components, while also improving reliability and performance. More>  
Another Milestone in Hybrid Artificial Photosynthesis
 
A team led by Peidong Yang, Michelle Chang and Chris Chang has combined semiconducting nanowires with select microbes to create an artificial photosynthesis system that produces renewable molecular hydrogen and uses it to synthesize carbon dioxide into methane, the primary constituent of natural gas. More>  
 
Employees, Retirees Entertain Throngs at Recent Solano Stroll   
 
Volunteers fielded questions and shared their knowledge of the Lab with hundreds of visitors who stopped by during the event. Staff from the Physical Sciences Division and the Joint Bioenergy Institute hosted a DIY fermentation project to helps explain the process of creating biofuels.  
iClem Students Finish Up Their Summer at JBEI
 
     
The Introductory College Level Experience in Microbiology program gives eight high school students from low-income households with a passion for science and engineering the opportunity to work at the Joint BioEnergy Institute for eight weeks over the summer. The students wrote and appeared in their own video on their research. More>  
2015 'On the Way' List Unveiled    
 
The Public Affairs Department has updated its "On the Way" list, which showcases ten Berkeley Lab research projects or technologies that are starting up, moving along, or getting ready to deliver. The list first rolled out last year, and is intended to highlight how today's science could lead to the solutions and discoveries of tomorrow.  
Sarah Richardson Honored for Contribution to East Bay Schools      
 
Sarah Richardson of the Joint Bioenergy Institute is among those who received a "Business Person of the Year" award from the Eden Area Regional Occupation Program. She was honored for work with students in the program's biotechnology classes and commitment to increasing the awareness of STEM fields among underrepresented students. More>  
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