News

Ignition Gives U.S. ‘Unique Opportunity’ to Lead World’s IFE Research

LLNL’s historic achievement of fusion ignition at NIF in December positions the United States with a “unique opportunity” to further lead the world scientific community’s pursuit of developing fusion as a future source of clean energy, according to a newly released report.

NIF’s Advances Make NIF Summer Scholar Program a Coveted Internship

NIF’s recent scientific advances, including the achievement of fusion ignition in December, have increased interest among aspiring young scientists for the NIF&PS Summer Scholar Program.

Lawrence Livermore’s Science on Saturday lecture series moves to Las Positas College

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL) popular lecture series, “Science on Saturday,” returns Feb. 4 and runs through Feb. 25.

Lawrence Livermore’s Discovery Center to reopen to visitors

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Discovery Center reopens to visitors on Feb. 1, after nearly three years of closure due to COVID-19.

Four Livermore researchers honored as Oppenheimer Science and Energy Leadership Program fellows

The Oppenheimer Science and Energy Leadership Program (OSELP) has selected four Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientists as 2023 fellows.

Video: NIF in the News

We’ve compiled videos of TV and online news coverage of LLNL’s ignition shot at NIF, including a “60 Minutes” segment and interviews with Neil deGrasse Tyson, Bill Nye, and LLNL scientists. And there’s an unaired “Saturday Night Live” skit.

LLNL Scientist Shares the Wonder and Beauty of Additively Manufactured Optics

There’s never been a more exciting time to be working in additively manufactured glass, said Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientist Rebecca Dylla-Spears.

LLNL Scientists Cheer Dawn of the ‘Era of Ignition’

The National Ignition Facility (NIF)’s historic Dec. 5 fusion ignition experiment has generated awe, pride, and bright optimism about the future among Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) employees.

An Ignition ‘True Believer’ Revisits 39 Eventful Years at LLNL

After an exciting and highly productive 39-year career, NIF Director Doug Larson has retired from the Laboratory.

VIDEO: LLNL Experts Panel

On December 5, a team at LLNL’s National Ignition Facility (NIF) conducted the first controlled fusion experiment in history to reach this milestone, also known as scientific energy breakeven, meaning it produced more energy from fusion than the laser energy used to drive it. This historic, first-of-its kind achievement will provide unprecedented capability to support NNSA’s Stockpile...

NIF’s Fusion Ignition Shot Hailed as Historic Scientific Feat

NIF’s monumental, first-ever demonstration of fusion ignition marks a breakthrough for fusion energy and an initial step in a decades-long quest for clean energy, according to U.S. government officials and LLNL scientists.

VIDEO: Full DOE Press Conference

Today announced the achievement of fusion ignition at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)—a major scientific breakthrough decades in the making that will pave the way for advancements in national defense and the future of clean power.

College Students Learn Valuable Lessons Building Robots for NIF

When NIF needed a way to safely patrol a dangerous high-voltage area, a team of University of California, Davis engineering students built SAPPHIRE the robot.

Magnetized Targets Boost NIF Implosion Performance

By imbedding a target capsule in a strong magnetic field, inertial confinement fusion (ICF) researchers have demonstrated a potential path to sustained high-energy-yield NIF implosions.

NIF Presentations Among Highlights at APS-DPP Conference

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) was well represented at the recent 64th American Physical Society Division of Plasma Physics (APS-DPP) annual meeting in Spokane, Washington—and the event was widely praised as a welcome return to a largely in-person conference.

NIF&PS Researchers Elected Optica Fellows

NIF & Photon Science researchers Félicie Albert and Craig Siders have been selected as fellows of Optica (formerly OSA).

LLNL researchers win HPCwire award for applying cognitive simulation to inertial confinement fusion

The high performance computing publication HPCwire announced Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) as the winner of its Editor’s Choice award for Best Use of HPC in Energy for applying cognitive simulation (CogSim) methods to inertial confinement fusion (ICF) research.

Astronauts Launch ‘Dream Big’ Mural with Recipes for Success

Four former NASA astronauts—all with ties to Lawrence Livermore and Sandia national laboratories—gathered for a Sept. 25 event to dedicate a large mural painted in their honor in downtown Livermore.

New Generation of Laser Safety Officers Convene for DOE Workshop

A recent Department of Energy (DOE)-organized laser safety workshop showcased how national laboratory safety regulations such as those developed at LLNL and NIF are helping to raise the standards at academic-based research facilities.

Under pressure: solid matter takes on new behavior

Investigating how solid matter behaves at enormous pressures, such as those found in the deep interiors of giant planets, is a great experimental challenge.