Chu on Science Education
On ‘Today’ Show Friday

"Class of 2020: Science" is the latest chapter in a continuing series of reports on NBC’s “Today” show scheduled for airing tomorrow morning during the 7 to 9 a.m. program. Berkeley Lab Director Steve Chu is featured in the report, from an interview at the Lab taped on Oct. 19. The series is following a group of students from their first day in kindergarten to their high school graduation. Every two weeks, they focus on a different facet of their education through the students', parents' and teachers' eyes. Science is this week’s focus, and Chu provides a view of science and math education nationally.

Once Again, Scientists
Abuzz Over Fruit Flies
By Emily Martinez

Eisen

In the world of genetics, few species are as well studied as fruit flies in the genus Drosophila. The recent publication of the genetic codes for 12 species of Drosophila will allow continued focus on the species in the developing field of comparative genomics. The paper, featured in the scientific journal Nature, resulted from the collaboration of an international consortium of more than 100 scientists. Michael Eisen, with Berkeley Lab’s Genomics Division, helped direct the project. Full story.

Can Baking Soda Curb Global Warming?
By Michael Kanellos

Some scientists have proposed compressing carbon dioxide and sticking it in underground caves as a way to cut down on greenhouse gases. Joe David Jones wants to make baking soda out of it. He’s come up with an industrial process that captures 90 percent of the carbon dioxide coming out of smoke stacks and mixes it with sodium hydroxide to make sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda. The energy required for the reaction to turn the chemicals into baking soda comes from the waste heat from the factory. "If you can use the waste heat, it strikes me as a potentially feasible approach," said Alex Farrell, with Berkeley Lab’s Earth Sciences Division. Full story.