A team led by Berkeley Lab faculty biochemist Daniel Minor has discovered how a protein produced by bullfrogs binds to and inhibits the action of saxitoxin, the deadly neurotoxin made by cyanobacteria and dinoflagellates that causes paralytic shellfish poisoning.
A Frog Worth Kissing: Natural Defense Against Red Tide Toxin Found in Bullfrogs
Science Snapshots Aliyah Kovner •
Mineral Discovery Made Easier: X-Ray Technique Shines a New Light on Tiny, Rare Crystals
News Release Glenn Roberts Jr. •
Like a tiny needle in a sprawling hayfield, a single crystal grain measuring just tens of millionths of a meter – found in a borehole sample drilled in Central Siberia – had an unexpected chemical makeup. And a specialized X-ray technique in use at Berkeley Lab confirmed the sample’s uniqueness and paved the way for its formal recognition as a newly discovered mineral: ognitite.
Groundbreaking Study Maps Out Paths to New Nitride Materials
Science Snapshots Theresa Duque •
A study led by Berkeley Lab features a large, interactive map that makes it easier for researchers to discover new forms of ternary nitrides, substances with unique properties with potential applications from semiconductors to industrial coatings.
Here Comes the Sun: A New Framework for Artificial Photosynthesis
Science Snapshots Theresa Duque •
A study led by Berkeley Lab has uncovered new insight into how to better control the catalyst cobalt oxide for artificial photosynthesis.
You Don’t Have to Be Perfect for TMDCs to Shine Bright
Science Snapshots Theresa Duque •
Scientists from Berkeley Lab have developed a practical method that brightens atomically thin TMDC semiconductors for device applications such as solar cells, LEDs, and lasers without chemically treating the materials for defects.
Pulsed Electron Beams Shed Light on Plastics Production
News Release By Brooke Kuei •
Researchers at Berkeley Lab, in collaboration with Dow and Eindhoven University of Technology, have developed a pulsed electron beam technique that enables high-resolution imaging of magnesium chloride without damage. This approach could apply to a vast range of beam-sensitive materials, and help to create a path toward sustainable plastics.
Separation Anxiety No More: A Faster Technique to Purify Elements
News Release Julie Chao •
Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have developed a new chemical separation method that is vastly more efficient than conventional processes, opening the door to faster discovery of new elements, easier nuclear fuel reprocessing, and, most tantalizing, a better way to attain actinium-225, a promising therapeutic isotope for cancer treatment.
Lithium Doesn’t Crack Under Pressure, It Transforms
Science Snapshots Aliyah Kovner •
Using cutting-edge theoretical calculations performed at NERSC, researchers at Berkeley Lab’s Molecular Foundry have predicted fascinating new properties of lithium – a light alkali metal that has intrigued scientists for two decades with its remarkable diversity of physical states at high pressures. “Under standard conditions, lithium is a simple metal that forms a textbook crystalline solid. However, scientists
A ‘Silver Bullet’ for the Chemical Conversion of Carbon Dioxide
Science Snapshots By Lori Tamura •
Fossil fuels are the lifeblood of modern societies, but their increased use releases carbon dioxide, a climate-warming greenhouse gas, faster than plants can recycle it via photosynthesis. Now, a powerful combination of experiment and theory has revealed atomic-level details about how silver helps transform carbon dioxide gas into a reusable form. The results, reported in
‘A Day in the Light’ Videos Highlight How Scientists Use Light in Experiments
Feature Story Glenn Roberts Jr. •
In recognition of the International Day of Light (@IDL2019) on May 16, the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) is highlighting how scientists use light in laboratory experiments. From nanolasers and X-ray beams to artificial photosynthesis and optical electronics, Berkeley Lab researchers tap into light’s many properties to drive a range of