Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, in Berkeley, California, is a leading center of research in basic energy and life sciences. More than 1,000 scientists carry out research there, including the study of elementary particles–bits of matter, such as electrons and quarks, that have no known smaller parts. Lawrence Berkeley researchers have discovered several new chemical elements. They investigate new sources of energy, attempt to find ways of reducing environmental hazards, seek medical uses for radioactive materials, and conduct research in genetics. Research also involves such areas as earth, computer, and materials science. The laboratory’s Advanced Light Source provides intense beams of X rays and ultraviolet rays used by university and industry scientists to study materials and biological cells.
The laboratory was established in 1931 to advance physics and biomedical research using the cyclotron, a particle accelerator invented by American physicist Ernest O. Lawrence. In 1952, a laboratory in Livermore, California, was established as a branch of the Berkeley lab to form the Lawrence Radiation Laboratories. The labs were separated and given new names—Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and Lawrence Livermore Laboratory—in 1971. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory took its current name in 1995. It is operated by the University of California under contract with the United States Department of Energy. The website of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory at http://www.lbl.gov provides additional information.
See also National laboratory ; Particle accelerator .
