Los Alamos National Laboratory, in Los Alamos, New Mexico, is a leading United States research institution. It is involved in the application of science and technology to problems of U.S. national security. Activities at the laboratory once included the development, testing, and design of nuclear weapons. No new weapons have been designed since the late 1980’s, and no nuclear testing has been conducted since 1993. The laboratory develops technology used to verify that other nations fulfill their arms control commitments. Other research focuses on such areas as nuclear physics, advanced materials, homeland security, and the disposal of nuclear waste.
Los Alamos National Security, LLC, a consortium (partnership) of the University of California, Bechtel Corporation, and other companies, operates the Los Alamos National Laboratory for the United States Department of Energy. The Los Alamos National Laboratory was established in 1943 as part of the World War II Manhattan Project to build the first nuclear weapons (see Manhattan Project ).
Thousands of scientists, engineers, and other professionals work at the laboratory. It contains some of the largest and fastest computers in the world. Its Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE)) houses a proton linear accelerator that is 1/2 mile (0.8 kilometer) long. Many scientists consider LANSCE to be one of the world’s leading nuclear science facilities.
