Berkeley Lab’s Terry Hazen, a microbial ecologist with the Earth Sciences Division, warns that extreme caution must be used in cleaning up the fragile Gulf Coast ecosystem in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Oil is a biological product that can be degraded by microbes, whereas detergents used to clean up oil-contaminated sites can make a bad situation even worse. More>
Research: Weird, Ultra-Small Microbes Turn Up in Acidic Mine Drainage In the depths of a former copper mine in Northern California dwell what may be the smallest, most stripped-down forms of life ever discovered. The microbes — members of the domain of one-celled creatures called Archaea — are smaller than other known microorganisms, rivaled in size only by a microbe that can survive solely as a parasite attached to the outside of other cells. Their genomes are among the smallest ever reported. The discovery was made by Berkeley Lab earth scientists Brett Baker, Jillian Banfield, and life scientist Luis Comolli. Their findings were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. More>
Science at the Theater: ‘House of the Future’ Topic for Monday Event Next Monday evening at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre, come see what it will take to create tomorrow's net-zero energy home as scientists reveal the secrets of cool roofs, smart windows, and computer-driven energy control systems. Bruce Nordman, Mary Ann Piette, and Iain Walker will introduce these topics — and answer questions — in a lively panel discussion hosted by the Public Affairs Department. The event starts at 7 p.m. at 2025 Addison St. Admission is free. More>
The Advanced Light Source is hosting its monthly Science Cafe today at noon in Perseverance Hall. Beamline scientists will discuss their recent research in an informal environment. Light refreshments will be provided. Featured scientists and their topics include Hendrik Bluhm (Interfaces Under Ambient Conditions: From Aerosols to Minerals), Dula Parkinson (My Favorite Superpower: Magnified 3D X-Ray Vision), and Sujoy Roy (Magnetic Fridge: The Clean Technology Refrigerator of the Future).
Harry Kroto, a co-recipient of the 1996 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery of buckminsterfullerene (or buckyballs), will visit the Lab tomorrow and present a talk for Lab employees at 12:30 p.m. in Perseverance Hall. He will discuss "Architecture in NanoSpace." Space is limited so registration is required.
Education Outreach: Undergraduate Poster Session TodayThe Center for Science and Engineering Education (CSEE) will host a poster session from noon to 2 p.m. today in the Cafeteria. The event highlights the breadth of research conducted at the Lab through the experiences of the seven undergraduate students who have participated in CSEE's 16-week Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) program.
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