Lab to Participate in New NASA Space Telescope Project
Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley scientists will play a role in WFIRST, a new NASA space telescope project exploring dark energy, alien worlds and the evolution of galaxies, galaxy clusters and large-scale structure of the universe. More>
New Method to Reduce Plant Lignin Could Lead to Cheaper Biofuels
Lab scientists have shown that an enzyme can be tweaked to reduce lignin in plants. This could help lower the cost of converting biomass into carbon-neutral fuels for vehicles and other sustainably developed bio-products. More>
Biofuels Researcher Records Science Podcast for Kids
Sara Richardson of the Joint BioEnergy Institute joined Team Escamilla at Tumble to record a science podcast for kids ages 8 to 12, created to be enjoyed by the entire family. In the episode "The Tale of the Bacteria Farmer," Richardson explains how she's trying to convince bacteria to make the things we need, such as biofuels.
A New Spin on Quantum Computing: Training Electrons with Microwaves
In what may provide a potential path to processing information in a quantum computer, researchers have switched an intrinsic property of electrons from an excited state to a relaxed state on demand using a device that served as a microwave "tuning fork." More>
A Different Way to Make Nanowire Lasers
Scientists at Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley have found a simple new way to produce nanoscale wires that can serve as bright, stable and tunable lasers. The advance is promising for the field of optoelectronics, which is focused on combining electronics and light to transmit data, among other applications. More>
A Key Step Toward Custom-Made Nanoscale Chemical Factories
Scientists have for the first time reengineered a building block of a geometric nanocompartment that occurs naturally in bacteria. The new design provides an entirely new functionality that greatly expands the potential for these compartments to serve as custom-made chemical factories. More>
New CellScope Device Enables Safe Treatment for River Blindness
CellScope Loa enables safe treatment of river blindness (onchocerciasis) by detecting parasitic Loa loa worms in the blood. CellScope tools, developed by the Lab's Daniel Fletcher, have enabled studies of retinal disease in Thailand, monitoring water quality in southern California, and diagnosing childhood earaches with the clip-on otoscope. More>
Here's Why Every Glass Of Wine You Drink Is Radioactive
Lab physicist Richard Muller explains why "drinking alcohol is required to have at least 400 radioactive decays per minute for each 750 ml." The article is from a Quora series, in which facts that sound far-fetched are explained by "people with unique insights." More>
