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Nuclear, Chem, and Isotopic S&T
Exploring the shapes of exotic nuclei
In the conventional diagram of an atom, the center depicts a nucleus — a spherical cluster of protons and neutrons. But that sphere is a simplification: nuclei can deform into exotic shapes that appear more like a pear, football or frisbee. Understanding why and when nuclei distort is crucial for predicting and modeling how they will behave. Researchers at Lawrence…
Jennifer Pett-Ridge selected as fellow of American Geophysical Union
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientist Jennifer Pett-Ridge has been named a 2026 fellow of the American Geophysical Union (AGU). AGU is a global community supporting more than half a million advocates and professionals in the Earth and space sciences. The fellows program recognizes AGU members who have made exceptional contributions to Earth and space…
LZ experiment sees surprising result in search for dark matter
For the better part of a century, people have been trying to understand dark matter. This invisible substance makes up roughly 85% of the mass in the universe but has never been directly detected. Determining exactly what it is remains one of the biggest questions about our world. Now, a new analysis from the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment has recorded a single particle…
LLNL partners with industry to advance next-generation reactor fuel
Small, modular nuclear fission reactors are emerging as a resilient energy option, offering a scalable, cost-effective path to reliable power for remote or infrastructure-limited locations. However, these advanced reactor facilities typically run hotter and longer than conventional light water reactors, so they will require a new type of nuclear fuel tough enough to…
Using plutonium to probe the universe: Magneto‑ν experiment advances dark matter and neutrino research
Astronomers can’t see dark matter directly, but know it’s there: its gravity shapes galaxies and the large-scale structure of the cosmos. In an effort to uncover the composition of this hidden mass, a team at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is pursuing evidence of these particles that exist beyond the standard model of physics. In a new experimental campaign…
‘A science theme park’: Space science internship offers hands-on access to specialized tools
For the second summer, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s (LLNL) Space Science Institute (SSI) welcomed undergraduate and graduate students to a 10-week internship exploring astronomy, cosmochemistry and astrophysics. Throughout the summer, the 2026 student cohort worked alongside their LLNL mentors on projects reflecting the variety of capabilities available onsite…
Magnetic clues in atomic nuclei reveal the truth about mysterious gamma rays
It has been a long-standing mystery in nuclear physics: why do the nuclei of some atoms emit more low-energy gamma rays than they should? The answer can be found in a new study from an international scientific team led by the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) and including authors from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Published in Nature, the work sheds…
Meet LLNL interns: Building skills through innovation and collaboration
Each summer, students from across the country join Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to gain hands-on experience, work alongside researchers and contribute to projects supporting the Lab’s mission. Meet four interns whose work spans emergency preparedness, artificial intelligence, actinide chemistry and additive manufacturing, and learn how their experiences…
Scientists measure chemistry of meteorite that struck New Jersey home
On July 16, 2024, a daytime meteor shook New York City with a sonic boom as it passed just south of the Statue of Liberty. A short time later, a more than two-pound meteorite crashed through the roof of a house in the town of Hillsborough, New Jersey. Now, an international team, including scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), has analyzed that…
NASA’s Psyche mission tests LLNL-built gamma-ray sensor on Mars flyby
On a multi-billion-mile journey to the asteroid Psyche, a gamma-ray sensor developed by a team at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) took its first measurements of a planetary surface after 2.6 years in deep space. NASA’s Psyche spacecraft flew behind Mars for a gravity assist, with the red planet’s gravitational field acting as a slingshot to change the flight…
Meet the machines that matter: the portable neutron detector
Nuclear materials are rarely quiet. Even when hidden inside a sealed container, they emit a kind of heartbeat through streams of particles and radiation that carry critical information about its contents. In a laboratory, scientists have the tools and expertise to read that heartbeat. But in an emergency, first responders need a way to interpret it quickly, without highly…
LLNL’s Forensic Science Center develops a new capability to detect chemical weapons
In the aftermath of suspected chemical attacks, investigators from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) step in to collect chemical, environmental and biomedical samples. Thorough forensic laboratory analysis of these samples is essential for proving what — if any — chemical agents were used and verifying their identities. Researchers at Lawrence…
Livermorium Day: celebrating big ideas, team science and partnerships
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and the City of Livermore share an honor few places can claim — a spot on the periodic table of elements. Leaders from LLNL and the city came together with students, educators and the community to celebrate this at Livermorium Day. This unique event took place in a unique location: Livermorium Plaza in the city’s downtown. “The…
Analyze an asteroid sample in the latest episode of the Big Ideas Lab
In the early 2000s, a team of planetary scientists at NASA began planning something audacious. They would build a spacecraft. Aim it at an asteroid. Launch it across more than a billion miles of space. Map the asteroid’s rugged terrain at an unprecedented, centimeter-level resolution. Hover over the surface to collect a sample. And then bring it all the way home. The…
Meet the machines that matter: the Electron Beam Ion Trap
Imagine listening to an orchestra: overlapping notes, blended timbres and complex harmonies coming together into a cohesive symphony. Now try to isolate a single instrument and the sounds it produces. Nearly impossible, right? The same is true for collections of ions, charged particles that have gained or lost electrons. Each ion — from hydrogen to lithium to lead and…
Roll the tape: LLNL captures inception of hydrogen-uranium reaction for the first time
When hydrogen gas interacts with uranium metal, the combination creates a chemically reactive powder and a runaway reaction that is difficult to stop. The result can impact the safety and lifespan of technology critical for fusion energy, hydrogen storage and nuclear fuels. In a recent study published in npj Materials Degradation, researchers from Lawrence Livermore…
LLNL scientists use controlled experiments to better understand nuclear fallout
In less than a millionth of a second after a nuclear detonation or a severe nuclear reactor accident, an enormous burst of energy heats the surrounding air and materials. Everything in the vicinity is vaporized into a hot, glowing cloud of gas and plasma. As that nuclear fireball expands, it mixes with air, begins to cool and condenses into tiny solid particles — creating…
Revitalized laser technology captures commercialization grant
Small, modular nuclear fission reactors and fusion facilities could each be the future of resilient and secure energy in the U.S. and around the world. But these technologies rely on isotopes of lithium to cool fission reactors and create fusion fuel. Currently, there is no sustained, domestic production mechanism for lithium isotopes in the U.S. that meets projected…
Four decades after Chernobyl, National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center reflects on a defining moment
Documents were scattered across the floor as scientists hurriedly reviewed reports on weather patterns and radiation measurements, while colleagues in Europe awaited updates and information on the emerging radioactive crisis. Forty years later, the Chernobyl reactor accident response stands as critical experience that paved the way for what is now the National Atmospheric…
Big Ideas Lab podcast explores JASPER and the science of measuring plutonium under extreme conditions
In less than a microsecond, a projectile traveling thousands of meters per second strikes its target, generating pressures and temperatures too extreme to observe directly. At Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), scientists use that moment to answer complex questions for national security. The latest episode of the Big Ideas Lab podcast takes listeners to the…