The gap between the marketplace and Berkeley Lab’s clean technologies has narrowed, thanks to a recently launched program called Cleantech to Market that engages UC Berkeley graduate students in commercializing clean energy technologies. The program, a partnership between the Lab and the Berkeley Energy and Resources Collaborative, provides greater exposure for promising Lab technologies and fosters connections with the entrepreneurial and venture capital community. More>
Research: Soybean Genome Sequenced at JGIThe genetic code for soybean, one of the world’s most valuable plant commodities, has been released by the Joint Genome Institute. Soybean (Glycine max) accounts for 70 percent of the world’s edible protein and is an emerging feedstock for biodiesel fuel, which has the highest energy content of any alternative renewable fuel. More> A story on this research also appeared in Nature.
Research: A Rising Tide of Cosmic DataFrom COBE to Planck and beyond, the volume of data from measurements of the cosmic microwave background continues to grow by orders of magnitude. The Computational Cosmology Center, a collaboration between Berkeley Lab’s Physics Division and Computational Research Division led by Julian Borrill and Peter Nugent, has algorithms and implementations in the works so that NERSC’s supercomputers can handle the rising tide of CMB data. More>
In The News: Bacteria Make Better Alcohol Fuels, but Challenges Lay Ahead [Technology Review] By engineering the metabolic process of the common E. coli bacteria, researchers at UCLA have coaxed the microorganism into churning out useful long-chain alcohols that have potential as new biofuels. The new fuel has grabbed the interest of companies, but there is still a long road ahead. One big challenge to overcome might be the long-chain alcohols' toxicity to the bacteria, says Chris Somerville, with Berkeley Lab’s Physical Biosciences Division. More>
Special Event: Holiday Craft Fair is Today From 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.Staff are reminded that the Lab’s Holiday Craft Fair, which features hand-made art, food, clothing and other items, takes place today in the cafeteria from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. While the main dining area will be closed off, a limited amount of seating will be available for cafeteria patrons.