Salmeron
Da Vinci

A collaboration of researchers from Berkeley Lab and Ames Lab has used Leonado Da Vinci's principles of friction and the geometric oddities known as quasicrystals to better understand friction at the atomic level. In a paper published in the August 26 issue of Science, Berkeley Lab materials scientist Miquel Salmeron reports on the first study to measure the frictional effects of periodicity in a crystalline lattice. Other Berkeley Lab collaborators include Jeong Young Park and Frank Ogletree, both with the Materials Sciences Division. Full story.

Lab Linksters Can Join
DOE Golf Challenge

This year's annual Department of Energy Golf Challenge will be held Monday, Sept. 12 at the Contra Costa Country Club. The tournament is held to foster relations within the Bay Area DOE community, and includes participants from Berkeley, Livermore, and Sandia Labs, as well as the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center and Bechtel Engineering. It is open to all employees, their families, and guests. The tournament fee is $105. Contact Nick Palaio (x7177) to register.

Techniques Help Monitor
Microbial Remediation

Banfield
Hubbard
Williams

Understanding how microbes clean up contaminants is difficult without a direct way to observe what the "bugs" are actually doing. In a recent paper, Berkeley Lab Earth scientists Jill Banfield, Susan Hubbard, and Ken Williams demonstrate how to use two geophysical techniques — electric current and acoustic waves — to monitor microbes that remediate metals in contaminated aquifers, without putting equipment into the ground. Full story.

Reminder: Moving
Traffic Violations

All individuals operating motor vehicles or bicycles on Lab property must comply with the California Vehicle Code (CVC) and Berkeley Lab traffic and parking regulations. These regulations cover such things as the use of seat belts, bike helmets, parking permits, and acceptable modes of transportation. Go here for additional details.