January 2019 – July 2022
Nanoscale analyses of Martian meteorites at the ALS suggest that organic carbon on Mars may have been formed by electrochemical reactions between briny liquids and volcanic minerals, as might occur in a galvanic cell. https://als.lbl.gov/meteorites-suggest-galvanic-origins-for-martian-organic-carbon/
As Women’s History Month comes to a close, a special shout-out to Lab physicist and bubble chamber researcher Margaret Alston-Garnjost, who collaborated with Lab Nobel Prize winners Luis Alvarez and Donald Glaser. She passed away Feb. 7. Stay tuned for a more in-depth profile next month. https://m.legacy.com/obituaries/sfgate/obituary.aspx?n=margaret-alston-garnjost&pid=191709331&referrer=0&preview=false
On March 27, the House Science and National Labs Caucus sponsored a Congressional briefing and reception to highlight how the Department of Energy’s national laboratories strengthen America through science and technology innovation. https://stratcomm-elements.lbl.gov/2019/03/28/berkeley-lab-participates-in-national-lab-congressional-briefing/
The BISICLES ice sheet model uses high performance computing resources at NERSC to systematically examine where the Antarctic Ice Sheet is vulnerable and the resulting potential for large contributions to sea level rise. https://cs.lbl.gov/news-media/news/2019/crds-ice-sheet-modeling-tool-probes-antarctic-vulnerabilities/
Louise Glass received the Robert L. Metzenberg Award during the Fungal Genetics Conference held March 12–17. Established by the Neurospora research community, the award is given to researchers whose innovative achievements have significantly advanced the understanding of biology. https://biosciences.lbl.gov/2019/03/25/louise-glass-receives-metzenberg-award/
Lab researchers are sought to serve as judges for BioEHSC, a seven-week competition that exposes high school students to bioengineering/biomedical engineering research. Winners of the competition will be determined at an April 6 event on campus. Click post for more information and to volunteer. https://bioehs.berkeley.edu/bioehsc/
Research at the ALS has identified the molecules that collect at the interface between a platinum electrode and an acidic electrolyte under an applied voltage. This knowledge is key to understanding topics such as corrosion, geochemistry, electrocatalysis, and energy storage. https://als.lbl.gov/getting-to-the-bottom-of-a-metal-acid-interface/
Mice have been instrumental in the study of cancer, but for stomach cancer in particular, mice have historically been regarded as poor research organisms because rodents rarely develop spontaneous stomach tumors. But results from a new study are about to shake up the paradigm. https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2019/03/22/stomach-cancer-insights/
Molecular Foundry industry users Coreshell Technologies and X-Therma Inc. were two of twelve winners awarded for their technological innovations out of 4,500 applications from 119 countries around the world. http://foundry.lbl.gov/#/news/2019-03-19_A.html
A team of researchers working at Berkeley Lab has discovered the strongest topological conductor yet, in the form of thin crystal samples that have a spiral-staircase structure. https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2019/03/20/the-best-topological-conductor-yet-spiraling-crystal-key-to-discovery/