LAB REPORT
Science and Technology Making Headlines
Sept. 27, 2024


The panelists spoke about the groundbreaking research and breakthroughs that could usher in a new energy era. (Image courtesy of Washington Post)
Shoot for the moon
As world leaders gathered for the United Nations General Assembly, Washington Post Live explored the course of climate change across all seven continents, one at a time.
From melting Antarctic glaciers to deforestation of the Amazon to green innovation globally, they put a spotlight on environmental challenges, the lessons learned for humanity and the bold solutions for new pathways.
LLNL Director Kim Budil joined Tim Latimer, CEO and co-founder of Fervo Energy, and Mateo Jaramillo, CEO of Form Energy, along with moderator Zachary Goldfarb, Washington Post’s Climate & Environment Editor, for the panel “North America: Energy Moonshots.”


Atomistic simulations, machine learning potential and accelerated degradation experiments reveal the complex role of CO2 in the oxidation kinetics of amine-functional sorbents for carbon capture. (Illustration concept: Sichi Li/LLNL; Illustration: Jacob Long and Adam Samuel Connell/LLNL)
Carbon-capture materials life extension
Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), in collaboration with the Georgia Institute of Technology, have made a significant breakthrough in understanding the impact of carbon dioxide (CO2) on the stability of amine-functionalized porous solid materials, a crucial component in direct air capture (DAC) carbon-capture technologies.
This new research, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society and featured on the journal cover, sheds light on the complex interactions between CO2 and poly(ethylenimine) sorbents, offering important insights that could enhance the efficiency and durability of DAC systems.


The analysis from LLNL used the asteroid Bennu as a model to conduct their work. (Image credit: NASA)
Saving the planet
Earth exists in a cosmic shooting gallery, and it's not a matter of if but rather when a large asteroid hits the bullseye. It's happened plenty of times in the past, but for the first time, humanity might have a chance to avert disaster. The movies always say we can nuke asteroids, an option long dismissed by scientists as fantasy. A new study says that might not be as crazy as it sounds.
We've learned more about the composition of asteroids in the last few years than in the prior few decades. Missions like Hayabusa2 and OSIRIS-REx have returned pristine samples from ancient space rocks, and the DART mission successfully changed the orbit of a small asteroid. However, scientists estimate it could take dozens of DART-like missions to redirect a dangerous asteroid that was on course for Earth. As an alternative, the Department of Energy's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) suggests we could use nuclear weapons, but not like they do in the movies.
The analysis from LLNL used the asteroid Bennu (above) as a model. OSIRIS-REx gathered extensive data on this object before scooping up a sample to bring home. LLNL found that a kinetic impactor like DART would be ineffective against a pile of gravitationally bound rubble like Bennu.


Alexandra Koleva (left) and Aliyah St Louis-Alleyne, interns from the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, spent their summer conducting research at LLNL’s Jupiter Laser Facility. (LLNL image)
Interns shine bright
This summer, the Jupiter Laser Facility (JLF) hosted interns as part of the Reaching a New Science Energy Workforce (RENEW) program - a DOE Office of Science initiative aimed at developing a strong, diverse workforce pipeline through partnerships with minority serving institutions.
The interns, Alexandra Koleva and Aliyah St Louis-Alleyne from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), were hosted by JLF director Félicie Albert and mentored by Dean Rusby and Matt Selwood.
The mentors brought the interns onto their respective experiments, allowing them to explore different uses of the Titan laser — a unique laser platform combining high-energy pulses with long and extremely short pulse lengths.
"JLF is a user facility, and by pairing the interns with the experimental teams led by Dean and Matt, we were able to offer them a unique experience doing hands-on work and learning about lasers and high-energy-density science," Albert said.


José Hernández formerly served as an engineer at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. (Image: Daily Kos)
Celebrating Hispanic heritage
As we each celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month in our own ways, here is a classic American story of big dreams turning into reality.
This is the story of José Hernández, who grew up picking produce in the fields of the San Joaquin Valley in California.
This is the story of migrant farm workers and how they allowed their kids to dream big.
This is the story of how José Hernández become an engineer working at Lawrence Livermore National Lab.
