Summer Lecture Series
Kicks Off Next Week

Want to have lunch with someone at the forefront of science? You can, at the 2007 Berkeley Lab summer lecture series, which kicks off next Wednesday. These illuminating talks — five in all — take place Wednesdays at noon in the Building 50 auditorium. The lectures are designed for Lab staff, visiting students and teachers, and anyone who is curious about cutting-edge research explained in everyday language. Topics will cover biofuels, cancer treatment, climate change, bioremediation, and particle physics. Bring a bag lunch and questions. Go here for a schedule of this summer's lectures.

Thin-Contact Silicon
Orbits With THEMIS

This article was written for the CERN Courier by Berkeley Lab Engineer Craig Tindall.

THEMIS launch in February

Particle detectors developed for high-energy and nuclear physics often find uses in many other fields. Now silicon detectors with thin entrance contacts have been launched into space aboard the five spacecraft in NASA's THEMIS (Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms) mission. Fabricated at Berkeley Lab, the detectors comprise the heart of solid-state telescopes. They will study electrons and ions with energies between 25keV and 6MeV. Full story.

Genome's Dark Matter Isn't
'Junk,' Say Researchers

Karpen

Not so long ago, the difficult-to-sequence, highly repetitive, gene-poor DNA found in regions of chromosomes known as heterochromatin was called "junk." Like dark matter in the universe, the true nature of heterochromatin was unknown. Now members of the Drosophila Heterochromatin Genome Project (DHGP), headed by Gary Karpen of Berkeley Lab's Life Sciences Division, are approaching a complete assembly, mapping, and functional analysis of those portions (other than simple repeats) of the heterochromatic DNA of Drosophila melanogaster, the fruit fly. The results confirm that heterochromatin is far from mere junk. Full story.

Cipriano and his robots

ALS's Falcone, Robot Maker In Today's Issue of View

A story on robot creator Michael Cipriano of the Physical Biosciences Division, research that aids the bioimaging of both small and large-scale living structures, and a discussion with Advanced Light Source Director Roger Falcone are among the articles featured in today's edition of The View. Copies are available in most building mailrooms and lobbies, as well as newsstands in the Building 65 bus shelter and cafeteria lobby.

Final Sale of Excess Central Stores Items Through June

As the Facilities Division prepares for the final disbursement of materials from Central Stores, Lab divisions have one more opportunity to purchase excess items. Go here to see a list of these items, which will be available for purchase today through June 29. After this sale, all remaining items on the list will be immediately processed as excess. Those interested in making a purchase should e-mail Central Stores or send a fax to x4211. There will be no over-the-counter sales during this time and quantities are limited to what's on hand.

Electronic Supply Reps
At Lab This Monday

Representatives from PSS/Newark Electronics will be on site this Monday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Perseverance Hall. Lab employees are invited to come meet this newest eBuy vendor. Demonstrations will be provided on how to order directly from your desktop using the eBuy procurement process. Electronic equipment and supply manufacturer representatives will be available to answer questions and demonstrate new products. Go here for additional information.