Lawrence Livermore National Lab (Audio)

The periodic table is on the wall of most science classrooms, but it is changing. Ken Moody, Chief Scientist for Radiochemistry, explains that recent discoveries of new elements have extended the periodic table beyond what was thought was possible, and demonstrates the existence of a collection of Superheavy Elements with unusual nuclear properties at the limits of stability. Explore the relationship between atoms and elements, and between nuclei and isotopes. Discover how new elements are produced and identified, and how this leads to experiments that tell us about the extreme limits of chemical behavior, the possible breakdown of periodicity, and the ultimate end of the periodic table. Series: "Lawrence Livermore National Lab Science on Saturday" [Science] [Show ID: 22009]

LLNL scientist Dean Williams explores the evolution of climate models with from the mid 1970's to the present. Methods for testing climate models against a variety of benchmarks such as historical climate changes or seasonal changes are explained. Several key issues arising from global climate change are highlighted followed by suggestions for actions that will help limit carbon dioxide emissions. Series: "Lawrence Livermore National Lab Science on Saturday" [Science] [Show ID: 22008]

400 years ago, our world-view changed when Galileo proved that the Earth was not the center of the universe but orbits around the Sun. 15 years ago the world shifted again when the first planets were discovered orbiting other stars. Last year, using adaptive optics and the 10 meter W.M. Keck telescope in Hawaii, a Lawrence Livermore National Lab team produced the first ever picture of another solar system. One day, these techniques may even lead to an image with a pale blue dot circling a nearby star - another Earth. Join LLNL astronomer Bruce Macintosh and Lisa Poyneer as they describe the new technologies that made these pictures possible. Series: "Lawrence Livermore National Lab Science on Saturday" [Science] [Show ID: 20235]

Hydrocarbon fuels come almost exclusively from underground. We burn the coal or oil to obtain energy - and for hundreds of years, we have then allowed the resulting carbon dioxide to simply enter the atmosphere. Ken Wedel, Tracy High School Earth Science teacher,explores the role that underground storage of carbon dioxide can play in helping avoid damaging climate change, and the scientific challenges that face us in trying to keep the atmospheric load of carbon dioxide from continuing to grow due to burning fossil fuels. Series: "Lawrence Livermore National Lab Science on Saturday" [Science] [Show ID: 20234]

Our future health, happiness and economic well-being depends on producing plentiful, inexpensive, carbon-free energy that is available 24 hours/day, worldwide. Coal, oil and gas supply over 80% of the world's energy but cause pollution and add to global warming. Renewable energy, such as wind and solar, may not be able to supply enough energy. Ed Moses and the National Ignition Facility have an idea that could change everything-fusion energy-unlocking the force inside the nucleus of hydrogen that powers the sun and the stars. Learn what it will take for fusion power to become a reality in the next few decades. Series: "Lawrence Livermore National Lab Science on Saturday" [Science] [Show ID: 20233]

It is very likely that rising levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere resulting from human activity are increasing global temperatures and changing Earth's climate. Lawrence Livermore National Lab’s Karis MacFarlane explains about the carbon cycle, ways that forests and soils store carbon, and how carbon storage and loss from forests and soils might change with changes in climate and human activity. Series: "Lawrence Livermore National Lab Science on Saturday" [Science] [Show ID: 20232]

Those windmills spinning away in the hills and mountain passes provide clean and renewable energy to our power grids. Lawrence Livermore National Lab’s Julie Lundquist explains how wind turbines convert the forces of the atmosphere into electricity for our homes, businesses, and even cars. Explore how much power could be collected from the wind, how that amount compares to our demands, and how weather forecasts help wind turbines provide even more clean, renewable, and reliable energy. Series: "Lawrence Livermore National Lab Science on Saturday" [Science] [Show ID: 17646]

Aerogels are a class of materials with fascinating properties but they are hardly materials at all as they can be composed of up to 99.8% empty space. Aerogels are among the most versatile materials available for technical applications due to their wide variety of exceptional properties. This material has chemists, physicists, astronomers, and materials scientists utilizing its properties in a myriad of applications. In this lecture Dr. Gash and Mr. Dean Reese will describe and demonstrate the structure, properties, and advanced applications of aerogels, and even synthesize one. Series: "Lawrence Livermore National Lab Science on Saturday" [Science] [Show ID: 17645]

The solar system formed from a cloud of interstellar gas and dust cloud about 4.6 billion years ago. Life began on earth about 3.5 billion years ago following a period of intense bombardment by asteroid fragments and comets, intense volcanism and finally development of a stable crust and a hospitable atmosphere. Thanks to more powerful telescopes and other state-of-the-art observational methods, we can now see "stellar nurseries" and young stars at various stages of formation. In this talk we’ll learn what triggers star formation in clouds, circumstellar disks and planet formation within the disks, and we’ll discuss early life on earth. Series: "Lawrence Livermore National Lab Science on Saturday" [Science] [Show ID: 17644]

Every couple of years, the earth is hit by a body with energy near that of the Hiroshima bomb. Deposited high in the atmosphere these events causes little or no damage. On longer timescales, impacts occur with the potential to destroy regions, or whole civilizations. Learn about the impact threat, followed by a systematic development of the requirements to divert such an object. Series: "Lawrence Livermore National Lab Science on Saturday" [Science] [Show ID: 17643]

Ed Moses, Director of the National Ignition Facility describes the path to a limitless supply of clean, safe energy. He explains how the world’s biggest, most energetic laser works and it’s goals. Nearing completion, the NIF will focus its giant laser beams on a tiny target filled with hydrogen. The goal is to replicate the conditions inside our sun and create, at a small size, its life-giving energy. Creating this sun process in the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is fundamental to the vision of developing limitless, clean, carbon-free, safe and environmentally friendly energy to meet the world's increased energy. Series: "Lawrence Livermore National Lab Science on Saturday" [Science] [Show ID: 17642]

For the first time in history, man has a detailed accounting of what makes up the universe. Yet, 95 percent of the universe defies detection. Lawrence Livermore National Lab scientist Steve Asztalos explains how scientists have come to this understanding of the universe and what they think makes up about 25 percent of its mass. Series: "Lawrence Livermore National Lab Science on Saturday" [Science] [Show ID: 15211]

Right below your feet is a source of renewable energy that is largely untapped. It heats groundwater by conduction and convection as it travels toward the surface of the earth. Lawrence Livermore National Lab scientists Carol Bruton and John Ziagos explain how geothermal energy can be used to generate electricity or heat buildings. Series: "Lawrence Livermore National Lab Science on Saturday" [Science] [Show ID: 15238]

Creating a star on Earth is the goal of the National Ignition Facility (NIF), the world's largest laser. When completed in 2009, NIF will focus 192 giant laser beams on a BB-sized target filled with hydrogen fuel - fusing, or igniting, the hydrogen atoms' nuclei. This is the same fusion energy process that provides the life-giving energy from the sun. NIF Director, Ed Moses, describes how NIF works and its potential to provide a limitless supply of clean, safe energy. Series: "Lawrence Livermore National Lab Science on Saturday" [Science] [Show ID: 15237]

Veterinarians are playing an important role in protecting the nation's food supply. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory veterinarian Dr. Pamela Hullinger describes how scientists at the lab are working to develop tests and computer disease models to detect toxins and keep our national livestock safe from foreign diseases. Series: "Lawrence Livermore National Lab Science on Saturday" [Agriculture] [Show ID: 15236]

Most scientists agree that man-made carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere is the main cause of climate change. So why not store it somewhere instead of releasing it to the air? Great idea and scientists have been thinking about this for some time. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory scientist Julio Friedmann discusses carbon capture and storage (CCS), and how it might be used. Series: "Lawrence Livermore National Lab Science on Saturday" [Science] [Show ID: 15235]

The physical and chemical properties of hydrogen make its use superior to fossil fuels. Producible virtually anywhere from using electricity, it is a simple, non-toxic molecule that can generate electricity or power vehicles cleanly, efficiently, and even silently, if we choose. Development of hydrogen automobiles has been hindered, however, because hydrogen is much more difficult to store than gasoline. Gene Berry, Research Scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and high school teacher Dean Reese, explore the need for alternatives to gasoline and what role hydrogen might play. Series: "Lawrence Livermore National Lab Science on Saturday" [Science] [Show ID: 14497]

Will we run out of certain forms of energy, such as oil, and what are the replacement options? How does hydrogen fit into the future U.S. energy picture? What is carbon sequestration and why does it matter? What about sustainable energy sources such as solar, wind and geothermal? John Ziagos, Atmospheric, Earth, and Energy Department at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and high school teacher Dean Reese present the latest information on the earth's total energy budget to see what forms of energy we will be harnessing in the future. Series: "Lawrence Livermore National Lab Science on Saturday" [Science] [Show ID: 14494]

Carbon dating is a technology borne out of archeologists' desire to date ancient artifacts but it has also spawned exciting applications in biomedical science. Techniques refined at Lawrence Livermore National Lab’s Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry are being used to address research questions as diverse as the age of the DNA in our brains to how long chemicals remain in our bodies. Research Scientist Ken Tutereltaub and high school teacher Bret States highlight the principles of carbon dating and how AMS technology is being used to provide insights into challenging problems in biomedicine. Series: "Lawrence Livermore National Lab Science on Saturday" [Science] [Show ID: 14493]

The occasional appearance of comets has awed humans throughout history. But how much do we really know about comets? Did a comet kill the dinosaurs? And, what can comets tell us about our own ancient history? With comet dust from NASA’s Stardust mission, scientists like Hope Ishii, a Research Scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, are beginning to answer these questions. She and high school teacher Tom Shefler look at how comets formed, their role in the Earth's history and the clues about what happened over 4 billion years ago. Series: "Lawrence Livermore National Lab Science on Saturday" [Science] [Show ID: 14492]