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LANL Announces Top 10 Science Stories of 2009

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, January 8, 2010 - Los Alamos National Laboratory has identified the Top 10 Laboratory science stories of 2009 based on global viewership of online media content and major programmatic milestones.

NNSA, LANL Announce Successful First Dual-Axis Hydrodynamic Test

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announced today that Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) fired its first-ever double-viewpoint hydrodynamic test of a nuclear weapon component mockup.  The test, conducted by LANL scientists and engineers, took place at the Dual Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Test (DARHT) facility at Los Alamos.

Lab begins demolition of Cold War-era buildings

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, December 1, 2009— Los Alamos National Laboratory today began full-scale demolition of a Cold War-era complex of buildings that once housed plutonium production and historic, nonweapons research.

Los Alamos National Laboratory Employees, Lab Contractor Pledge Record $2.3 Million to Local United Way Organizations, Other Nonprofits

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, December 1, 2009— Los Alamos National Laboratory employees once more demonstrated concern for their communities and those in need by pledging a record $1.3 million to United Way and other eligible nonprofit programs.

Lab receives $25,000 for Math and Science Academy from Chevron Energy Technology Company

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, November 30, 2009— LANL recently accepted a $25,000 contribution from Chevron Energy Technology Company, a Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) subsidiary, to the LANL Foundation to support the Northern New Mexico Math and Science Academy, a professional development program for K-12 teachers. The program is conducted by LANL in cooperation with its regional education, business, and government partners.

Lookman and Moore named 2009 LANL Fellows Prize recipients

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, November 23, 2009— Commendations for exemplary scientific research and leadership have been bestowed upon Los Alamos National Laboratory researchers Turab Lookman and David S. Moore by the Laboratory Fellows organization.

One of the largest-ever computer models explores "turbulent flames" as they occur in early stages of a supernova

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, November 16, 2009— Scientists use the Roadrunner supercomputer to model the seemingly random motion of fluid flows, a fundamental process in physics called turbulence, that could help explain how stars being to explode into supernovae.

New funding will stimulate alternative energy research: Los Alamos to play key role in four geothermal projects funded by ARRA

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, November 16, 2009— Initiatives to provide geothermal heating or power at the Pueblo of Jemez and the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology campus are receiving Los Alamos National Laboratory assistance, thanks to recent American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) funding.

LANL breaks ground on key sediment control project

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, November 5, 2009— Crews broke ground this week on one of two engineered structures in a Los Alamos National Laboratory environmental project to reduce the flow of sediments down two canyons toward the Rio Grande.

Los Alamos National Laboratory names six scientists as 2009 Fellows

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, November 5, 2009— Antoinette “Toni” Taylor, Stephen Becker, Joachim Birn, Lowell Brown, Patrick Colestock, and Samuel “Tom” Picraux have been designated 2009 Los Alamos National Laboratory Fellows in recognition of sustained, outstanding scientific contributions and exceptional promise for continued professional achievement.

Laboratory adds a sixth R&D 100 Award to its 2009 count

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, November 4, 2009— Los Alamos National Laboratory recently learned that codevelopment of a high-resolution UV holography lens with National Security Technologies (NSTec) earned the Lab a sixth R&D Magazine 2009 R&D 100 Award.

Multibillion-atom molecular dynamics simulations of how extreme shock waves break materials into pieces

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, Oct. 30, 2009— The fundamental properties of any given material are explored to better understand their basic strengths and weaknesses, potentially giving rise to new kinds of materials that perform at their extreme limits.

LANL sponsors Recovery Act job fair

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, Oct. 30, 2009— Nearly 500 job seekers turned out for a LANL-sponsored job fair near Española, New Mexico, on Thursday.

Magnetic process plays key role in the earth's magnetosphere, solar flares, magnetic fusion machines, and variety of astrophysical problems

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, Oct. 30, 2009— Magnetic reconnection is a fundamental process in physics, the continuous breaking and rearrangement of magnetic field lines in a plasma; plays central role in new discoveries.

Los Alamos National Laboratory awards subcontracts for architectural and engineering services

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, Oct. 29, 2009— Six small businesses are receiving subcontracts totaling up to $200 million for providing architectural and engineering services to Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Zerkle wins Governor's Distinguished Public Service Award

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, Oct. 29, 2009— Carolyn E. Zerkle, leader of Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Stimulus Project, has been named a 2009 winner of the Governor’s New Mexico Distinguished Public Service Award.

Scientists use world's fastest computer to simulate nanoscale material failure

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, Oct. 29, 2009— Very tiny wires, called nanowires, made from such metals as silver and gold, may play a crucial role as electrical or mechanical switches in the development of future-generation ultrasmall nanodevices.

Scientists use world's fastest computer to understand nonlinear physics of high-power lasers

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, Oct 28, 2009—For years scientists have struggled with the difficult physics of inertial confinement fusion. This is the attempt to compress a target capsule containing isotopes of hydrogen with high-powered lasers to high enough pressure and temperature to initiate fusion burn.

Neutron stars is focus of Los Alamos National Laboratory Frontiers in Science lectures

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, Oct. 27, 2009—Los Alamos National Laboratory scientist Sanjay Reddy talks about the nature of neutron stars in a Frontiers in Science lecture at 7 p.m., November 3, in the Duane Smith Auditorium at Los Alamos High School.

Scientists use world's fastest supercomputer to create the largest HIV evolutionary tree

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, Oct. 27, 2009— Supporting Los Alamos National Laboratory’s role in the international Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Immunology (CHAVI) consortium, researchers are using the Roadrunner supercomputer to analyze vast quantities of genetic sequences from HIV infected people in the hope of zeroing in on possible vaccine target areas.

Scientists use world’s fastest supercomputer to model origins of the unseen universe

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, Oct. 26, 2009—Understanding dark energy is the number one issue in explaining the universe, according to Salman Habib, of the Laboratory’s Nuclear and Particle Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology group.

Science at the petascale: Roadrunner results unveiled

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, Oct. 26, 2009—The world’s fastest supercomputer, Roadrunner, at Los Alamos National Laboratory has completed its initial “shakedown” phase doing accelerated petascale computer modeling and simulations of a variety of unclassified, fundamental science projects.

At LANL-sponsored networking forum— Businesses make their pitch for Recovery Act work

POJOAQUE, New Mexico, Oct. 22, 2009— Los Alamos National Laboratory today hosted a business “speed-dating” event for Recovery Act subcontractors—a rapid-fire networking forum where each company in attendance got three minutes to make a pitch.

Standards for a new genomic era

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, Oct. 21, 2009— A team of geneticists at Los Alamos National Laboratory, together with a consortium of international researchers, has recently proposed a set of standards designed to elucidate the quality of publicly available genetic sequencing information. The new standards could eventually allow genetic researchers to develop vaccines more efficiently or help public health or security personnel more quickly respond to potential public-health emergencies.

Stopping executions, saving computers with new malware detection tool

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, Oct. 13, 2009— In the cyber security world, looking for viruses or other malicious files on computers opens the door to potentially releasing the file and contaminating one’s system. In classical terms, if you peer into Medusa’s eyes, you’re turned to stone. Greek hero Perseus turned a mirror on the monster to protect himself, and in similar fashion a team of scientists from LANL’s International, Space, and Response Division and LANL’s Advanced Computing Laboratory has patented a computer tool that allows the machine to identify malicious executable files without being exposed to their harmful actions.

IBEX Satellite finds ribbon-like structure at edge of heliosphere

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, Oct. 15, 2009— The invisible structures of space are becoming less so, as scientists look out to the far edges of the solar wind bubble that separates our solar system from the interstellar cloud through which it flies. Using the High Energy Neutral Atom Imager, led by Los Alamos National Laboratory, the NASA Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) mission has sent back data that indicates a “noodle soup” of solar material has accumulated at the outer fringes of the heliosphere bubble.

NNSA and Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board Certifications free up $47 million in previously allocated funding

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, Oct. 2, 2009 — The Chemistry and Metallurgy Research Replacement project at Los Alamos National Laboratory has received certification of design issue closure from the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board and the National Nuclear Security Administration, freeing up $47 million in previously allocated funding.

Oldest hominid skeleton provides new evidence for human evolution

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, Oct. 1, 2009— A Los Alamos National Laboratory geologist is part of an international research team responsible for discovering the oldest nearly intact skeleton of Ardipithecus ramidus, who lived 4.4 million years ago. The discovery reveals the biology of the first stage of human evolution better than anything seen to date.

LANL demolishes first containment dome at disposal area

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, Sept. 30, 2009— A Los Alamos National Laboratory crew today began demolishing the first containment dome at the Lab’s largest and only remaining active disposal area.

Bradbury Science Museum takes part in Smithsonian's Museum Day Sept. 26

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, Sept. 21, 2009 - Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Bradbury Science Museum is participating in the Smithsonian’s fifth annual Museum Day on Saturday, Sept. 26. Sponsored by Smithsonian magazine, Museum Day is a day when museums and cultural institutions across the nation open their doors free of charge to Smithsonian magazine subscribers and Smithsonian.com visitors.

Laboratory snags five R&D 100 awards

LOS ALAMOS, New Mexico, July 21, 2009—Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists won five of R&D Magazine’s 2009 R&D 100 Awards. Recognized as the “Oscars of Invention” by the Chicago Tribune, these awards honor the top 100 proven technological advances of the past year. Winning Laboratory projects are MagViz, the SIMTECHE CO2 Capture Process, Lasonix,  TeraOps Software Radio, and the Artificial Retina Project.