January 2019 – July 2022
David Richardson’s job is literally to make sure the light stays on. But it’s not just any light – it’s a very special X-ray light that could play a crucial role in an eventual treatment for COVID-19. Richardson, an ALS operator, is among the essential workers supporting COVID-19 research. https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2020/05/15/masks-on-ready-to-work-meet-the-people-supporting-covid-19-science/
A team of researchers has observed unusually long-lived wavelike electrons called “plasmons” in a new class of electronically conducting material. Plasmons are important for determining the optical and electronic properties of metals for the development of new sensors and communication devices. https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2020/05/14/plasmon-waves-ultrathin-materials/
As society prepares to reopen indoor spaces and ease back into some sense of normalcy during the COVID-19 pandemic, a team of researchers at Berkeley Lab is launching a study of the risk of airborne transmission of viruses within buildings and how to mitigate those risks. https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2020/05/13/new-research-launched-on-airborne-virus-transmission-in-buildings/
As the COVID-19 outbreak took hold in Italy, researchers working on a nuclear physics experiment called CUORE at an underground laboratory in central Italy scrambled to keep the ultrasensitive experiment running and launch new tools and rules for remote operations. https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2020/05/12/cuore-experiment-in-italy-carries-on-despite-covid-pandemic/
The next round of webinars highlighting the features and capabilities of JGI’s Integrated Microbial Genomes & Microbiomes (IMG/M) system takes place May 19 at 11 a.m. This session will explore how to compare sequences of interest to IMG genomes and metagenomes using BLAST and LAST searches. https://mgm.jgi.doe.gov/img-webinar-series/
At the ALS, researchers characterized microscale factors affecting fluid flow through shale fractures propped open with sand or ceramic spheres. A better understanding of propped fractures can lead to safer and more efficient recovery of hard-to-reach oil and gas resources. https://als.lbl.gov/direct-imaging-of-fracture-closure-in-reservoir-shales/
With ALS help, researchers developed a porous electrolyte framework that they used to construct a working all-solid-state battery. Such batteries potentially offer a higher energy density, longer cycle life, and better inherent safety than state-of-the-art lithium-ion batteries. https://als.lbl.gov/porous-electrolyte-frameworks-for-all-solid-state-batteries/
DOE’s STEM Rising program is an initiative to inspire, educate, and spark an interest in STEM careers. As part of the effort to educate students during the shelter-in-place, scientists from the national labs were asked to share their science. Here is the Lab’s Maria Zurek on her love for physics. https://youtu.be/XDVaT0U5E0A
In the hunt for dark matter, experiments have searched for signs of particles knocking into atomic nuclei, which produces tiny flashes of light and other signals. A new study suggests new paths for catching the signals of dark matter particles that have their energy absorbed by these nuclei. https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2020/05/04/study-could-dark-matter-be-hiding-in-existing-data/
The 2019 JGI Progress Report is now available, featuring a perspective from Director Nigel Mouncey, JGI-enabled user science highlights, and facts about the Integrative Genomics Building (IGB). Download an electronic copy or request a print version. https://jgi.doe.gov/about-us/progress-report/