Research Update: Breakthrough in Sharp, Bright X-Ray Holograms
Pinhole cameras have been known for centuries, but now Stefano Marchesini of the Advanced Light Source, working with Berkeley Lab colleagues Anne Sakdinawat and Malcolm Howells, plus scientists at institutions in the U.S. and Europe, have combined the principles of pinhole optics with coherent x-rays and lasers to produce the brightest, sharpest x-ray holograms of microscopic objects ever made. More>
Special Event: Teacher Poster Session at Cafeteria Wednesday
Teachers who have been at the Lab for the last eight weeks as part of mentored internships — sponsored by the Lab's Center for Science and Engineering Education — will present what they’ve learned at a poster session on Wednesday. The event takes place between 3:30 and 5 p.m. in the cafeteria. The internships are supported by DOE Academies Creating Teacher Scientists (DOE-ACTS) and Industry Initiatives in Science and Mathematics Education (IISME) programs. Refreshments will be served.
In The News: Termite Digestion May Hold Energy Crisis Solutions
Falk Warnecke — with Berkeley Lab’s Genomics Division and the Joint Genome Institute — has been generating lots of attention lately for his work with termites. The insects are remarkably efficient at turning cellulose into sugar — the first step in making fuel from plants. His research has some people salivating at the prospect of dipping into the termites' microbial stew and pulling out a few enzymes that would finally make it possible to produce ethanol from cellulose on an industrial scale. More>
People: Sakdinawat Honored for X-Ray Microscopy Contributions
Anne Sakdinawat, with Berkeley Lab’s Materials Sciences Division, is the co-winner of the Werner Meyer-Ilse Award, which recognizes contributions to the development of X-Ray Microscopy. She was cited for work on “modified zone plates for phase contrast and high depth of focus applications.” Sakdinawat is a member of the division’s Center for X-Ray Optics and performed her work at the Advanced Light Source. She received her award at the recent International Microscopy Meeting in Zurich. More>
Special Event: Lab Co-Hosts Nano Safety Workshop at Foundry Wednesday
On Wednesday, the Lab’s Molecular Foundry and UC Berkeley’s Center for Occupational and Environmental Health are sponsoring a one-day seminar examining the health, safety and environmental issues associated with the emerging field of nanotechnology. Health and safety professionals, as well as students and scientists, are encouraged to attend. The seminar will be held in the Molecular Foundry from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. More>
World of Science: Bosons in the Key of Z
Scientists of the DZero collaboration at Fermilab’s Tevatron have announced the observation of pairs of Z bosons, force-carrying particles produced in proton-antiproton collisions. Dubbed the “ZZ diboson,” the properties of this event make its discovery an essential prelude to finding or excluding the Higgs boson at the Tevatron. More>
Correction: Bones More Likely to Split Than Break Cross-Wise
A July 23 TABL article on Berkeley Lab bone research incorrectly stated that human bones are more likely to break cross-wise than split. It is actually the other way around — bones are more likely to split than break cross-wise. More>