Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Berkeley Lab @berkeleylab.lbl.gov · 23h

🏅 Former Berkeley Lab senior scientist John Clarke has won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics. His research on quantum tunneling in electric circuits paved the way for today’s quantum computers and sensors. 🧠 This brings LBNL’s Nobel count to 17!

@nobelprize.bsky.social
@uofcalifornia.bsky.social

Former Berkeley Lab Scientist John Clarke Wins 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics

The Nobel Prize committee honored former Berkeley Lab scientist John Clarke for research in quantum tunneling in electric circuits.

newscenter.lbl.gov

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Berkeley Lab @berkeleylab.lbl.gov · 7d

🔊 Join us for the Great Berkeley ShakeOut at @ucberkeleyofficial.bsky.social

📅 Thursday, Oct 16
🕚 11a–2p PT
📍 Sproul Plaza

Visit our booth to hear from a Berkeley Lab subject matter expert, who will share the latest in earthquake simulation research. #BerkeleyShakeOut

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Reposted by Berkeley Lab

Berkeley Lab Press @berkeleylabpress.bsky.social · 7d

"Every breakthrough in science invites both excitement and scrutiny," says @berkeleylab.lbl.gov 's Kristin Persson. "There is tremendous promise in applying data-driven AI and machine learning to the discovery, direction, and optimization of materials."

AI is dreaming up millions of new materials. Are they any good?

Critics slammed attempts by Google, Microsoft and Meta to speed up materials discovery. But behind the hype, there is progress.

www.nature.com

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Berkeley Lab @berkeleylab.lbl.gov · 8d

"Windows lose 10x to 20x more energy per square foot than a well-insulated wall," says Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Steve Selkowitz who's pioneering work decades ago led to the development of these thinner, more efficient windows.

These windows are credit-card thin. They’re about to revolutionize the way we design buildings

The company behind the iPhone's gorilla glass is now making ultra-thin, extra sustainable windows.

www.fastcompany.com

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Berkeley Lab @berkeleylab.lbl.gov · 8d

STAR just reported its most precise data yet in the search for a nuclear-matter “critical point.” Why it matters: sharper tests of theory for how quarks & gluons change phase under extreme conditions. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory helped lead the analysis.

@brookhavenlab.bsky.social

More Signs of Phase-change ‘Turbulence' in Nuclear Matter

Members of the The results, Discovering the critical point has been a central goal of research at RHIC, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science user facility for nuclear physics research at DOE's Brookhaven National Laboratory. Like centurie...

newscenter.lbl.gov

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Berkeley Lab @berkeleylab.lbl.gov · 9d

With sadness and gratitude, we honor George F. Smoot III—Berkeley Lab scientist since 1974 and 2006 Nobel Laureate in Physics—who has passed away at 80. His “baby picture” of the universe changed cosmology. https://elements.lbl.gov/news/honoring-the-legacy-of-george-smoot/

@nobelprize.bsky.social

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Berkeley Lab @berkeleylab.lbl.gov · 12d

“We provided irrefutable proof that we could make the quark-gluon plasma in the laboratory. That’s a big deal, because that’s re-creating the Big Bang in a little bang.” – Barbara Jacak, Berkeley Lab nuclear physicist who worked on RHIC’s PHENIX particle detector

@berkeleylabpress.bsky.social

Storied atom-smasher that makes tiny Big Bangs wraps up mission

For 26 years, the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider has re-created the quark-gluon plasma that filled the infant universe

www.science.org

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Berkeley Lab @berkeleylab.lbl.gov · 12d

💻⚙️ Atoms in semiconductors don’t just fall randomly into place, they self-organize in ways that change material properties.

This discovery from our @molecularfoundry.lbl.gov & George Washington University could transform how we design microelectronics for quantum + defense tech. 🧪

Atomic Neighborhoods in Semiconductors Provide New Avenue for Designing Microelectronics

Advanced microscopy proves that dilute elements in semiconductors have preferred arrangements, not just random distribution

newscenter.lbl.gov

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Berkeley Lab @berkeleylab.lbl.gov · 13d

🦌 🐍 🦃 Always a reminder that Berkeley Lab’s hilltop campus is shared with incredible neighbors. From coyotes and deer to rattlesnakes and turkeys, wildlife is part of our daily landscape, and a sign of our unique environment where world-class science meets the natural world. 💙#WildlifeWednesday

Biosciences Area at Berkeley Lab @biosci.lbl.gov · 13d

@jgi.doe.gov sr. engineering associate Berkeley Kauffman was arriving at @berkeleylab.lbl.gov's main site when he encountered this guy out for a morning stroll. "It's aways cool seeing how much wildlife shares the Hill with us!" he noted. #WildlifeWednesday

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Reposted by Berkeley Lab

Enhanced Genomics @enhancedgenomics.bsky.social · 14d

🧬Next speaker: @axelvisel.bsky.social (@berkeleylab.lbl.gov/@jgi.doe.gov) presents 'From Nucleotide
to Megabase Scale: Enhancer Function in Development and Disease'

👨‍🔬Moderated by @stefanschoenfelder.bsky.social
📅 Thu Oct 2, 4pm UK time
👉Register: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

#VirtualSeminar

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Berkeley Lab @berkeleylab.lbl.gov · 14d

From sweltering ancient forges to... warm baths? Scientists discover how to make ultra-strong metal alloys with applications in aerospace, batteries, and energy without the extreme heat. Space-age materials, room-temp process! @molecularfoundry.lbl.gov

Electron Microscopy Reveals New Method to Make Exotic Metal Alloys

Materials scientists at Berkeley Lab have discovered a new strategy to produce sought-after metal alloys

newscenter.lbl.gov

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Reposted by Berkeley Lab

Emory Chan @emorychannano.bsky.social · 14d

Love building microscopes? Looking for a #postdoc? Come work w/ me, Ed Barnard, Jim Schuck, Bruce Cohen & others @berkeleylab.lbl.gov developing a #photonAvalanching microscope for bio & environmental sensing! Description below: #jobs #nonlinear #optics #photonics

drive.google.com/file/d/1Qcof...

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Berkeley Lab @berkeleylab.lbl.gov · 16d

DYK that nearly 20 years ago, Berkeley Lab scientists showed a novel way to build advanced transistors decades before similar structures reached smartphones?

Discover how ⬇️
@ucberkeleyofficial.bsky.social

Early Berkeley Lab Research Demonstrated Novel Approach to Next-Generation Transistor Design

Bottom-up nanowire innovation from early 2000s showed alternative path to energy-efficient chips powering today’s smartphones, laptops, and AI.

newscenter.lbl.gov

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Berkeley Lab @berkeleylab.lbl.gov · 16d

Now adjusted to 4.4 magnitude.

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Berkeley Lab @berkeleylab.lbl.gov · 16d

🌎 At 2:56a PT, the earth decided to shake things up with a 4.6 earthquake, centered in Berkeley, at a depth of 5.6 miles. Who else felt the jolt? We sure did! #EarthquakeAlert #SafetyFirst

More ⬇️
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/nc75240492/executive

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Reposted by Berkeley Lab

Biosciences Area at Berkeley Lab @biosci.lbl.gov · 19d

To advance the fight against antibiotic resistance, a team led by @fraserlab.com developed a compound that could help restore the effectiveness of a class of antibiotics known as streptogramins. They used data collected at @als.lbl.gov & SSRL. #BioMBIB @berkeleylab.lbl.gov

go.lbl.gov/streptogramins

Researchers use synchrotron X-rays to identify promising candidate in the battle against antibiotic resistance

X-rays unveil new molecular structure details that will help researchers design novel drug therapies to address antibiotic resistant bacteria.

go.lbl.gov

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Reposted by Berkeley Lab

LBNL Accelerator Technology & Applied Physics @atap.lbl.gov · 19d

Read about the experiences of our DOEScience SULI interns as they work with our internationally renowned scientists on cutting-edge #ParticleAccelerator research. Deadline to apply for the Spring 2026 cycle is October 1

@berkeleylab.lbl.gov @energygov.bsky.social

atap.lbl.gov/news/suli-in...

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Reposted by Berkeley Lab

Berkeley Lab Computing Sciences @cs.lbl.gov · 19d

Meet GenomeOcean: #AI that “speaks” DNA! 🌊🧬 Developed @jgi.doe.gov, this generative AI model is trained on 220+ terabases of #environmental metagenomic data using @nersc.bsky.social #HPC. With 4 billion parameters, it designs novel microbial DNA sequences ➡️ bit.ly/GenomeOcean

@berkeleylab.lbl.gov

GenomeOcean Leverages AI to Decode Nature’s Secret Language | Joint Genome Institute

Trained on environmental data, a new JGI tool more accurately facilitates microbial genome discoveries.

bit.ly

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Berkeley Lab @berkeleylab.lbl.gov · 19d

Scientists at our Lab (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) have demonstrated a new way to make element 116 (livermorium). 🧪

Using a titanium beam, the results could point toward the elusive “island of stability” — and a possible route to element 120.

Scientists Have Discovered the Pathway to Element 120—the Holy Grail of Chemistry

It’s all thanks to a titanium beam.

www.popularmechanics.com

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Berkeley Lab @berkeleylab.lbl.gov · 19d

AI + robotics = faster innovation. 🤖⚡️🧪

Berkeley Lab’s AutoBot platform designs and tests new materials at record speed.

In its first run? Optimizing metal halide perovskites, materials key for LEDs, lasers, and more.

Details ⬇️
https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2025/09/18/optimized-materials-in-a-flash

Optimized Materials in a Flash

AutoBot platform combines machine learning and robotics to rapidly find the best ways to make advanced materials.

newscenter.lbl.gov

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Reposted by Berkeley Lab

Biosciences Area at Berkeley Lab @biosci.lbl.gov · 20d

We are chuffed to have 6 postdocs representing #TeamBioSci in the 8th annual @berkeleylab.lbl.gov Research SLAM tomorrow, Thurs Sept 18 @ 3 PM PDT! Lab staff can attend live on the Hill or tune in virtually and cast votes for the People's Choice Award. Everyone else, watch this space for updates!

Clockwise from top left: Thasneem Frousnoon, Laura Cook, Marta Cerruti, Jacob Rapp, Heejung Cho, and Jaya Tripathi.

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Reposted by Berkeley Lab

Axel Visel @axelvisel.bsky.social · 21d

From AI agents for giant virus discovery to biosynthetic gene clusters - the 2025 cohort of @jgi.doe.gov - @ucmerced.bsky.social summer interns once again took on some amazing projects 🌱🧬🤖

Check out their stories here:
jgi.doe.gov/user-science...

@berkeleylab.lbl.gov @biosci.lbl.gov

Expanding Horizons with the 2025 JGI-UC Merced Internship Cohort | Joint Genome Institute

Interns contributed to a number of projects, from refining lab protocols at the bench to applying artificial intelligence to aspects of research questions

jgi.doe.gov

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Berkeley Lab @berkeleylab.lbl.gov · 21d

🚨 It’s almost SLAM time! 🚨

This Thursday, 3–4:30pm PT: Berkeley Lab #postdocs take the stage to pitch their cutting-edge research—in just 3 minutes and 1 slide.

Be part of the action 👉 you’ll help pick the People’s Choice Award!

📍 Watch online or join us in B50 Auditorium
🔗 https://slam.lbl.gov/

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Reposted by Berkeley Lab

Joint Genome Institute @jgi.doe.gov · 22d

Welcome the six researchers accepted to the FICUS program for FY26! Focus areas for projects include biofuels, biomaterials & bioproducts; hydrobiogeochemistry; & novel applications of molecular techniques.

🖥️🧬 @axelvisel.bsky.social @danudwary.secondarymetabolism.com @simrouxvirus.bsky.social

Six join FICUS program in 2026 | Joint Genome Institute

Pictured from left to right are: [above] Allegra Aron, Jana Pilatova and Ryan Ziels; [below] Andrew Vander Yacht, Itamar Shabtai and Victoria Orphan The JGI is excited to welcom

jgi.doe.gov

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Reposted by Berkeley Lab

Biosciences Area at Berkeley Lab @biosci.lbl.gov · 22d

Hira Lesea lived many lives—from punk rocker to retreat chef—before becoming a sr. research associate in #BioEGSB. These days, she's into cultivating a sense of collaborative creativity, both in her work @berkeleylab.lbl.gov and in her personal life. Read her story: go.lbl.gov/lesea #TeamBioSci

Woman with long wavy brown hair and bangs wearing safety goggles, white lab coat, and blue gloves holding a petri dish in a laboratory setting.

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