Science Briefs
SBs by Year
Newsroom
- Fast Facts
- News Releases
- News Stories
- Science Briefs
- Science Columns
- Photos
- Podcasts
- Publications
- Social Media
- Videos
- Archive
Pressroom
Get full digital presskits on many science topics!
Contacts
- Public Affairs
- (505) 667-7000
- Media Contacts
Fast Facts
Total employees: 13,137
Triad National Security, LLC: 9,397
Centerra Group, LLC Los Alamos (Guard Force): 281
Compa, Staff and support contractors: 478
Students: 1,323
Unionized craft workers: 1,160
Post doctoral researchers: 498
Located 35 miles northwest of Santa Fe, New Mexico, on 34.7 square miles of DOE-owned property.
1,280 individual facilities, including 47 technical areas with 9 million square feet under roof.
Replacement value of $14.2 billion
FY17:
63% Weapons programs
10% Nonproliferation programs
4% Safeguards and Security
7% Environmental Management
4% DOE Office of Science
3% Energy and other programs
9% Work for Others
Triad and students only
35% of employees live in Los Alamos, the remainder commute from Santa Fe, Española, Taos and Albuquerque.
Average Age: 43
65% male, 35% female
45% minorities
67% university degrees
27% hold undergraduate degrees
19% hold master’s degrees
21% have earned a PhD
145 R&D100 awards
34 E.O. Lawrence Awards
9 Presidential Early Career Awards
3 Glenn Seaborg Medals
Edward Teller Medal
Nobel Prize in Physics, Frederick Reines
Albuquerque to Los Alamos, NM
98 miles; 1 hr, 51 min.
Driving directions
Click to larger view
As of Aug. 18, 2020
Los Alamos post-doctoral student wins Hydrogen & Fuel Cell award
Eun Joo (Sarah) Park has won the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Office post-doctoral award from the U.S. Department of Energy - 10/15/20
Hoffman wins DOE Early Career Research Award
Project focuses on regional sea level modeling capability - 7/1/20
Special issue of Nuclear Technology dedicated to KRUSTY test
- 6/30/20
Los Alamos software discovers new world-record lightning flashes
- 6/29/20
OrganiCam will search for life in space
- 6/23/20
New ultra-high-throughput capability for biocatalyst screening
- 5/15/20
The discovery of unique metal–ligand bonding
- 5/14/20
First restartable rocket motor to maneuver satellites in space
- 5/13/20
New class of switchable explosive could revolutionize explosive safety
- 5/12/20
Global Security Office collaborates with Weapons Program to develop next-gen DFEAT tool; receives DOE accolades
- 4/13/20
Global Security team plays major role in recent launch of new GPS instrumentation
- 4/13/20
A new, simple hydrogen approach is offering new opportunities to develop Ga2O3 as a material for bipolar transistors
- 4/9/20
Advancing the art of the possible in remote sensing phenomena
- 4/3/20
Enlisting bacteria to make your nylon for you
- 2/10/20
Los Alamos analysis of San Juan Generating Station carbon-capture study shows promise
- 12/13/19
Understanding a viral explosion
- 11/21/19
Global Security summer interns win Distinguished Student, Student Symposium and poster awards
- 10/2/19
Lab’s fuel cell knowledge tapped for surveys of catalyst technology
- 10/1/19
Researchers develop software for complex CO2 capture, transport and storage infrastructure
- 8/21/19
BOM: The next generation of high-performance explosives
- 8/1/19
ALFa LDS: Autonomous, Low-Cost, Fast Leak Detection System
- 7/10/19
Managers from Global Security and Weapons delve into criticality safety training
- 6/20/19
Rapid detection of bacteremia in human blood
- 5/16/19
New, smaller X-ray spectrometers developed
- 4/23/19
Balancing the load
- 4/18/19
Lebensohn honored by The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society
- 4/15/19
At the 2D scale, isotopic composition has unforeseen effects on light emission
- 4/8/19
RETRO Rx: A new capability helping public health organizations
- 3/29/19
Novel technology provides rapid and reliable outage assessments after natural disasters wreak havoc
- 3/26/19
Sergei Tretiak honored as Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry
- 3/21/19
Pete Silks selected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry
- 1/31/19
Los Alamos pursues technology for more affordable fuel cell electric cars
New work at Los Alamos will create polymer fuel cells designed to make electric cars less expensive. - 11/30/18
New web-based technology assesses health of civil, mechanical and aerospace structures
Researchers have developed a revolutionary new way to measure the response of civil, mechanical and aerospace structures to dynamic loads and analyze their structural health. - 10/29/18
Clues to creating an HIV vaccine
Recent work at Los Alamos sheds light on the mechanisms that lead to broader immune responses in HIV infected individuals and will help inform future vaccine designs. - 10/23/18
Photocathodes grown on atomically thin layers of graphene
Researchers developed a unique approach that decouples two competing physical mechanisms that have prevented scientists from improving cold cathode efficiency. - 10/11/18
Radiation Hardened Single-Board Computer for space applications
These higher, more exclusive orbits may soon be accessible to small satellite vendors thanks to a novel technology, the Radiation Hardened Single-Board Computer. - 10/5/18
Narrow-band single-photon emission through selective aryl functionalization of zigzag carbon nanotubes
The researchers showed in this work that they can narrow the response by a factor of 4-6 by functionalizing so-called zigzag nanotube structures. - 9/27/18
Aluminum triple bond made for first time
The discovery of the Al≡Al classical triple bond represents a fundamental chemical bonding issue. - 9/27/18
New video highlights turbulence research essential to Lab mission
Los Alamos researchers are using experiments and computer modeling to enhance the Laboratory’s understanding of turbulence and the ability to predict turbulence. - 9/11/18
Finding the infant massive black holes in the early universe
This work combines state-of-the art cosmological simulation with a radiative transfer post-processing analysis tool. - 9/10/18
Chemical selection of emission state configuration in a quantum-light emitter
Los Alamos researchers and their collaborators have found a new way to control quantum-light emitters using so-called zigzag nanotube structures. - 9/6/18
National Criticality Experiments Research Center
Welcome to the National Criticality Experiments Research Center (NCERC), home to some of the most highly trained individuals and specialized capabilities on Earth. - 9/5/18
Muon radiography verifies spent nuclear fuel in sealed casks
Researchers and collaborators have investigated a method to “see” inside sealed casks using naturally occurring cosmic-ray muons. - 8/29/18
Los Alamos National Laboratory's Discreet Oculus team recognized in DTRA’s Hyper Critical Campaign
DTRA designated Los Alamos to lead this complex, multi-agency Campaign that went from inception to successful execution in seven months. - 8/28/18
All-solid-state cryocooler becomes a reality
Markus Hehlen and collaborators have — for the first time — demonstrated an all-solid-state optical refrigerator that operates at cryogenic temperatures and has no moving parts. - 8/21/18
ACCObeam technology produces novel collimated sound beam
The team determined that it could produce a highly collimated, powerful sound beam that also minimizes unwanted side lobes. - 8/20/18
A new neural network approach for seismic event detection
Scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory have applied what is known as a “deep dense neural network” approach to the detection of seismic events. - 8/16/18
Multipoint satellite observations provide insight into the origins of substorms
A research team has investigated observations from multiple satellites to develop a more comprehensive picture of substorm interactions with the Earth’s magnetosphere. - 8/16/18
Cuprate superconductor shows unique conductivity
Resistance studies reveal ‘strange metal’s’ electrical peculiarity - 8/3/18
Los Alamos simulation tests innovative cancer treatment approach
More than 30 percent of human cancers have mutations in a small, specific group of genes, but attempts to design drugs specifically for these cancers have been unsuccessful. - 7/25/18
Laboratory lands Energy Frontier Research Center
DOE funds these research centers to accelerate scientific breakthroughs that are needed to strengthen the United States’ economic leadership and energy security. - 7/24/18
Chikungunya challenge gets a close review by experts
To improve forecasts of emerging diseases, DARPA launched the Chikungunya Challenge to forecast the number of cases and spread of chikungunya disease in the Americas. - 7/24/18
Shining light on excited-state dynamics in perovskite materials
This study reveals the polaron formation via nuclear dynamics in perovskite that may be important for efficient charge separation and collection. - 7/17/18
Coherent exciton-vibrational dynamics and energy transfer in conjugated organics
Understanding this phenomenon is important when designing carrier transport in optoelectronic materials. - 7/3/18
NNSA awards Laboratory management & operating contract
The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration announced it has awarded Triad National Security, LLC the management and operating contract. - 6/8/18
Los Alamos OSRP team recognized with Hodes Award 2018
The National Nuclear Security Administration and Off-Site Source Recovery Program were recognized with the Richard S. Hodes Award at the Waste Management ’18 Symposium. - 6/5/18
AISES recognizes Los Alamos as top employer
In the latest AISES report, published in the spring 2018 issue of Winds of Change magazine, the Lab made the Top 50 list for the third year in a row. - 5/16/18
Leadership changes at the G.T. Seaborg Institute
Franz Freibert and Ping Yang have been named acting director and acting deputy director of the Los Alamos branch of the G.T. Seaborg Institute for Transactinium Science. - 4/25/18
David Fry named as a Fellow of the American Society for Nondestructive Testing
The ASNT Fellow Award acknowledges and honors members for outstanding service in the field of nondestructive testing. - 4/4/18
Wireless sensor network monitors remote areas
A research team has developed a novel system which covers large geographic areas using a self-healing, self-forming mesh network of long range radios. - 3/29/18
Dingus receives Mexican Physical Society Medal
The award honors her developments for physics in Mexico, particularly her work establishing the High-Altitude Water Cherenkov Gamma-Ray Observatory and her ongoing work on the project. - 3/26/18
A short history of women at Los Alamos
As part of the Laboratory’s 75th Anniversary this year, this is the second in a series of stories celebrating the people and achievements that made us into an extraordinary scientific institution. - 3/22/18
Machine learning discovers patterns that reveal earthquake fault behavior
A new artificial intelligence-based method identifies sounds that indicate when a fault is about to rupture. - 3/20/18
Arthur Voter receives American Chemical Society Award
The American Chemical Society has awarded Arthur Voter the 2018 ACS Physical Chemistry Division Award in Theoretical Chemistry. - 3/19/18
Anderson-Cook chosen for American Society of Quality’s Shewhart Medal
The American Society for Quality has selected Christine Anderson-Cook to receive the 2018 Shewhart Medal. - 3/19/18
Lighthouse directional radiation detectors
These novel detectors are a broad class of directional radiation detectors that use differential attenuation to reveal the vector components of a radiation field. - 3/8/18
Submit LANSCE proposals by March 2
The Los Alamos Neutron Science Center invites proposals for experiments to be performed at one of its three user facilities. - 2/8/18
Conduct research at CINT
The next call for proposals at the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT) is March 1—31. - 2/7/18
Los Alamos sensors watch for potential nuclear explosions
If North Korea or anyone else were to detonate a nuclear weapon in the atmosphere or in space, how would we know? A fleet of sensors aboard satellites would tell us. - 1/31/18
Chen honored as Fellow of The Optical Society
The OSA cited Chen for “seminal contributions to the field of metamaterials, including active metamaterials and the realization of novel electromagnetic structures at terahertz frequencies.” - 12/15/17
Wendelberger receives the William G. Hunter Award
The award is named in honor of the ASQ Statistics Division’s first chair, William G. Hunter. - 11/14/17
Lab receives HPCwire Readers’ and Editors’ Choice Awards
The Lab received the HPCwire Editors' Choice for Best Use of AI, for its project CANcer Distributed Learning Environment (CANDLE). - 11/14/17
Helium channels in nanocomposites could be game changers
This finding could have value in determining if such channels not only do not damage the material, but may even help it to “self-heal” by providing paths for He to escape. - 11/13/17
Modeling deep water three-dimensional upwelling
A team of researchers examined the deep water upwelling the global overturning circulation in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica. - 11/7/17
Gordon named JSPS Invited Fellow
Gordon plans to establish mutually beneficial relations in chemistry for sustainable and renewable energy applications between Japan and the United States. - 10/30/17
Gray elected to National Academy of Engineering
He was cited for his contributions to the understanding of the dynamic and shock-loading deformation and damage response of materials. - 10/26/17
Electrochemical Society honors Kreller
The Electrochemical Society has recognized scientist Cortney Kreller for her work in the high temperature materials field. - 10/23/17
Muon detector developed for subsurface borehole imaging
This approach has the potential to become a direct, real-time, and low-cost method for monitoring fluid displacement in subsurface reservoirs. - 9/20/17
Keeping an eye on smoky skies
Los Alamos scientists have spent over a decade investigating airborne particle distribution and properties from fires. - 9/12/17
Mukundan named Electrochemical Society Fellow
Mukundan’s research focuses on fuel cells, electrochemical gas sensors and energy storage devices. - 9/8/17
Geological Society of America Fellows
The Geological Society of America has chosen Catherine Snelson, Kenneth Wohletz and Hari Viswanathan as Fellows. - 8/31/17
HIV persists in macrophages
A research team has discovered that macrophages can serve as a reservoir for HIV virus during antiretroviral therapy. - 8/22/17
Tree hydraulic acclimation
Researchers subjected pinon and juniper at the world’s first tree-drought/heat site. - 8/15/17
Hamada named ASQ Fellow
The ASQ honored the new Fellows at the 2017 World Conference on Quality and Improvement in Charlotte, NC. - 8/7/17
Uranium dioxide for nuclear fuel
Exploring the magnetic and thermal properties of uranium dioxide, researchers are improving understanding of an essential nuclear power plant fuel. - 7/27/17
Mimicking bacterial photosynthetic structure for energy applications
Collaborators have demonstrated the ability of a short-chain block copolymer to self assemble into a 3-D supramolecular light-harvesting system. - 7/12/17
Foley and Brown honored by The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society
The TMS named Brown a 2017 Brimacombe Medalist and honored Foley with the 2017 Alexander Scott Distinguished Service Award. - 6/21/17
El Niños likely to help drive Antarctic melt
Scientists report that meltwater last summer formed on a large part of the surface of a major Antarctic ice sheet, extending over an area that was more than twice the size of California. - 6/19/17
Evaluating risk for Zika, chikungunya virus transmission across eastern states
The researchers examined conditions of variable human densities and seasonality. - 5/25/17
Mara honored with a Young Researcher award
Mara received the award at the 2017 International Symposium on Plasticity and its Current Applications. - 5/3/17
Tenner honored with Early Career Award
The DHS has funded Tenner for research in technical nuclear forensics. - 4/12/17
Risk analysis for CO2 sequestration at enhanced oil recovery sites
Los Alamos has developed a generic multi-scale statistical framework for CO2 accounting and risk analysis in CO2-enhanced oil recovery sites. - 3/28/17
Echo software revolutionizes data analysis
A team of engineers have developed Echo, a new data analysis environment. - 3/16/17
Bose-Einstein condensate observed in room-temperature experiment
New substance may be useful for phonon-based quantum computers; may shed light on conditions required to form biological Fröhlich condensates of collective modes. - 3/8/17
Pilania awarded Humboldt Research Foundation Fellowship
Ghanshyam Pilania is the recipient of a Humboldt Research Fellowship for Postdoctoral Researchers presented by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. - 2/13/17
Narrowing the search for new materials
Researchers have now combined data analytics and materials knowledge in the form of theory to guide experiments in the design of novel lead-free piezoelectrics. - 2/7/17
Livescu named AIAA Associate Fellow
Daniel Livescu is a new Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). - 1/18/17
Imaging the operation of high explosive detonators
A new capability combines state-of-the-art imaging capabilities with computed tomographic reconstruction in experiments performed at the Argonne National Laboratory’s Advanced Photon Source. - 1/17/17
You think the reference in that online article links to what the author referenced?
This new paper is the first to scientifically quantify Content Drift for references to web pages made in scientific articles. - 1/5/17
In the quest for the origin of the elements, it helps to know where to look
How did the elements on the periodic table get produced? - 1/5/17
Self-assembly approach to engineer nanoscale metamaterials discovered
A research team has developed a novel self-assembly approach to fabricate nanoscale metamaterials made of metallic nanopillars in oxide matrices. - 1/4/17
Solar cell material is self-healing
Scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory have been exploring a different material for constructing solar cells. - 1/4/17
