2016
December 19, 2016
Chikang Li brings the Crab Nebula to the lab
MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center researcher figures out the kink in the crab. (MIT News)
December 7, 2016
Starting Fluid for Laser Fusion
A laser-based fusion experiment demonstrates that liquid fuel capsules could rectify problems encountered with ice-based fuel capsules. (Physics)
November 30, 2016
Miniature Star Program
The Modesto Area Partners in Science (MAPS) offers the presentation “Fusion: Building a Miniature Star on Earth” by Tammy Ma, Ph.D., experimental laser-plasma physicist with the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. (Oakdale Leader)
November 15, 2016
How To Make A White Dwarf With Lasers And Cold Atoms
It might seem strange to claim that ultra-cold plasma physics have any relevance to understanding something like a white dwarf star, or a fusion experiment. And yet, that’s exactly why these experiments are so interesting. (Forbes)
November 14, 2016
The incredible pursuit of nuclear fusion and how the clean energy will change our world forever
Fusion is a nuclear reaction in which atomic nuclei of low atomic number fuse to form a heavier nucleus with the release of huge amounts of energy. By conducting experiments scientists hope to one day be able to harness that power and usher in a new form of clean energy. (news.com.au)
November 11, 2016
WATCH: Everything you need to know about nuclear fusion in 6 minutes
If we can get the technology right, nuclear fusion promises to give us all the clean energy we could want—which is why researchers across the world are racing to perfect the science to make this viable. (Science alert) (Video)
October 27, 2016
It Takes a Lot of Supercomputing to Simulate Future Computing
Lawrence Livermore National Lab’s Dr. Fred Streitz and his teams at the HPC Innovation Center at LLNL are working with Dutch semiconductor company, ASML, to push advances in lithography for next-generation chips. (The Next Platform).
October 22, 2016
Scientists explore use of 3D printing to speed up target production for testing material strength
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is exploring the use of 3D printing to achieve unprecedented flexibility in producing "on-demand" targets for testing how materials behave under extreme conditions. (nanowerk)
October 13, 2016
With 400th Experiment, NIF Meets Goals for This Year
The National Ignition Facility performed its 400th experiment of fiscal year (FY) 2016 on Sept. 18 meeting the year’s goal several weeks early. In comparison, the facility completed 356 experiments in FY15 and 191 experiments in FY14. NIF is on track to complete 415 experiments by the end of the fiscal year, more than doubling its FY14 accomplishments. (The Independent)
September 26, 2016
National Ignition Facility Tops 400 Shots in Fiscal Year 2016
On September 18, 2016, the National Ignition Facility (NIF) performed its 400th experiment of fiscal year (FY) 2016, meeting the year's goal several weeks early. In comparison, the facility completed 356 experiments in FY 2015 and 191 experiments in FY 2014. NIF is on track to complete 415 experiments by the end of the fiscal year, more than doubling its FY 2014 accomplishments. (NNSA)
September 13, 2016
Direct-Drive Laser Fusion Experiments Move Toward Target Ignition
Conditions capable of producing a direct drive laser fusion yield that is five times higher than the current record for laser fusion energy yield have been demonstrated. (Photonics.com)
September 7, 2016
A first for direct-drive fusion
Experiments using the OMEGA laser at Rochester University’s Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) have created the conditions capable of producing a fusion yield that’s five times higher than the current record laser-fusion energy yield, as long as the relative conditions produced at LLE are reproduced and scaled up at the National Ignition Facility. (Space Daily)
August 17, 2016
This Lab Does Top Secret Reserch. Take a Look Inside
Take a 360-degree tour inside the world’s largest laser and a 3D printing lab that makes rocket engines. (Energy.gov)
August 10, 2016
The pressure is on to make metallic hydrogen
In a few highly specialized laboratories including NIF, scientists bombard hydrogen with the world’s most powerful electrical pulses or zap it with sophisticated lasers to transform hydrogen, ordinarily a gas, into a metal. It’s a high-stakes, high-passion pursuit that sparks dreams of a coveted new material that could unlock enormous technological advances in electronics. (Science News)
July 6, 2016
How heavier elements are formed in star interiors
Cosmologist Carl Sagan called it “starstuff”—the basic elements of the universe created in the nuclear furnaces in the core of the sun and the stars. Nucleosynthesis, the process by which those elements are assembled, is the subject of a new series of NIF Discovery Science experiments which began on May 30. (phys.org)
July 6, 2016
Fusion Gets a Shake-Up at The National Ignition Facility
One step the NIF team is taking to eliminate the unstableness of the ignition is by making the heating process more controlled by increasing the size of the cylinders they use. (TrendinTech)
June 24, 2016
Scientists Are Trying to Make Nuclear Fusion with Frickin’ Lasers
A national lab in California’s lumpy hill country is home to a 10-story building where scientists are using laser beams to try and figure out nuclear fusion. (Wired)
May 4, 2016
Experiments shine light on exotic cosmic rays
In a NIF discovery science campaign conducted by the Astrophysical Collisionless Shock Experiments with Lasers (ACSEL) collaboration, researchers are carrying out a series of experiments aimed at understanding the possible role of collisionless shocks and related intergalactic magnetic fields in cosmic-ray acceleration. (phys.org)
April 25, 2016
Getting primed for fusion power
Cracking fusion power would be one of the great technological achievements of the 21st century, providing almost limitless power with few drawbacks. (Cosmos)
April 2016
Lasers at the leading edge
Current developments in research-grade lasers are increasing the power, compressing the pulses, and exploring new wavelengths. (Electro Optics)
March 14, 2016
Shock compression research shows hexagonal diamond could serve as meteor impact marker
A team of researchers, including scientists from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, provide new insight into the process of the shock-induced transition from graphite to diamond believed to occur during meteorite impacts. (phys.org)
March 11, 2016
Surprise nuclear strike? Here’s how we’ll figure out who did it
The National Ignition Facility, one of the world’s most powerful lasers, is “a ready source” of neutrons at energies comparable to those produced in the deuterium-tritium fusion reactions that power a hydrogen bomb. (Science)
March 8, 2016
Livermore Lab physicist selected for 2016 presidential award
Tammy Ma one of 106 chosen nationwide for her ‘innovation and leadership.’ (Pleasanton Weekly)
February 22, 2016
16 Massive Scientific Facilities at the Cutting Edge of Research
To detect some of the biggest mysteries, you need some of most colossal facilities on Earth. (Popular Mechanics)
January 27, 2016
Nuclear fusion gets boost from private-sector startups
Startups bring a new attitude to the energy quest—will it be enough? (Science News)
January 27, 2016
Petawatt laser system passes key milestone
The High-Repetition-Rate Advanced Petawatt Laser System (HAPLS) has achieved a key average power milestone more than two months ahead of schedule, and is now moving into the next phase in its development. (optics.org)
January 20, 2016
“Fast Ignition” Breakthrough Opens Door To Nuclear Fusion
Scientists say they have taken a step towards making the dream goal of nuclear fusion more achievable, by identifying the location of energy in a process known as fast ignition. (IFLScience!)
