Toward an Ultrahigh Energy Density Capacitor
August 19th, 2020Researchers at Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley have demonstrated that a common material can be processed into a top-performing energy storage material. Their discovery could improve the efficiency, reliability, and robustness of personal electronics, wearable technologies, and car audio systems.
Low-Cost Home Air Quality Monitors Prove Useful for Wildfire Smoke
August 18th, 2020Over the last few years of frequent and intense wildfire seasons, many parts of the U.S. have experienced hazardous air quality for days on end. At the same time a number of low-cost air quality monitors have come on the market, allowing consumers to check the pollutant levels in their own homes and neighborhoods. So, air quality scientists at Berkeley Lab wanted to know: are these low-cost monitors any good?
New NSF Physics Frontier Center Will Focus on Neutron Star Modeling in ‘Gravitational Wave Era’
August 17th, 2020A new Physics Frontier Center at UC Berkeley, supported by the National Science Foundation, expands the reach and depth of existing capabilities on campus and at neighboring Berkeley Lab in modeling one of the most violent events known in the universe: the merger of neutron stars and its explosive aftermath.
Global Methane Emissions Soaring, But How Much Was Due to Wetlands?
August 13th, 2020A Q&A with Berkeley Lab scientist William Riley on the challenges in estimating methane emissions from wetlands and how nuanced computer models may help
Keeping Cool Efficiently During Heat Waves
August 11th, 2020Heat waves are becoming a more regular occurrence across the country. Iain Walker, Leader of the Residential Building Systems Group at Berkeley Lab, has suggestions on efficient use of your air conditioner.
International Physicists Join Forces in Hunt for Sterile Neutrinos
August 10th, 2020An international group of more than 260 scientists has produced one of the most stringent tests to date for the existence of sterile neutrinos, which are theorized particles related to the three known types, or “flavors,” of neutrinos but that are not directly detectable.
New Partnership Seeds Microbiome Research
August 6th, 2020Microbiomes are integral to all life, from human health and food security to ecosystem processes and global nutrient cycling. Collaborative research – performed by scientists spanning the vast biological and bioinformatics fields – is key to developing a predictive understanding of microbiome function