Podcast
Big Ideas Lab
Hosted by Mission.org · EN
Your exploration inside Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Hear untold stories, meet boundary-pushing pioneers and get unparalleled access to groundbreaking science and technology. From national security challenges to computing revolutions, discover the innovations that are shaping tomorrow, today.
54episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Bennu Asteroid
Yesterday00:17:08Summary readyIn September 2023, a small NASA capsule streaked through Earth’s atmosphere and landed in the Utah desert, carrying 122 grams of material from the asteroid Bennu. That material has existed for more than four and a half billion years, preserving clues from the earliest moments of the solar system. At Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a team of scientists is now studying tiny fragments of the sample with extraordinary precision, examining isotopes and microscopic minerals to read the stories locked inside. As studies continue, they are revealing how some of the ingredients used by life on Earth are also present in ancient space rocks. Guests featured (in order of appearance): Greg Brennecka - Staff Scientist, LLNL Thomas Kruijer - Staff Scientist, LLNL -- Big Ideas Lab is a Mission.org original series. Executive Produced by Levi Hanusch. Sound Design, Music Edit and Mix by Matthew Powell. Script by Caroline Kidd Story Editing by Levi Hanusch. Audio Engineering and Editing by Matthew Powell. Narrated by Matthew Powell. Video Production by Levi Hanusch. Brought to you in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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Genesis Mission
2w ago00:24:24Summary readyThe Genesis Mission is a national effort to accelerate discovery by uniting AI, supercomputing, experiments, and the infrastructure of the national laboratories. This episode explores the problem Genesis is trying to solve, the growing gap between the pace of scientific discovery and the scale of the challenges facing the nation. At Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, this vision is turning into a reality through infrastructure, workforce training, and governance. Guests featured (in order of appearance): Dario Gil - Department of Energy Undersecretary for Science and the Director of the Genesis Mission Rob Neely - Associate Director for Weapon Simulation and Computing, LLNL Lori Diachin - Principal Deputy for Computing, LLNL -- Big Ideas Lab is a Mission.org original series. Executive Produced by Levi Hanusch. Sound Design, Music Edit and Mix by Matthew Powell. Script by Caroline Kidd Story Editing by Levi Hanusch. Audio Engineering and Editing by Matthew Powell. Narrated by Matthew Powell. Video Production by Levi Hanusch. Brought to you in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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Skyfall
4w ago00:16:56Summary readyScientists are simulating cyber attacks and system failures on real-world energy infrastructure - without ever putting the actual grid at risk. This is Skyfall at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. From real-world incidents like the Ukraine power grid cyberattack 2015 to cascading failures across interconnected systems, this episode explores how cyber-physical incidents can disrupt critical infrastructure in the United States - and how scientists at Skyfall are working to understand and prepare for them. Researchers are using simulation, AI and new approaches like the immune infrastructure framework to understand those risks - and design systems that can adapt and recover when things go wrong. Guests featured (in order of appearance): Nate Gleason - Cyber and Infrastructure Resilience (CIR) Program Lead, LLNL Vaibhav Donde - Associate Program Lead, CIR, LLNL Colin Ponce - Computer Scientist, CIR, LLNL -- Big Ideas Lab is a Mission.org original series. Executive Produced by Levi Hanusch. Sound Design, Music Edit and Mix by Matthew Powell. Story Editing by Levi Hanusch. Audio Engineering and Editing by Matthew Powell. Narrated by Matthew Powell. Video Production by Levi Hanusch. Brought to you in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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JASPER
Apr 2100:16:30Summary readyIn a remote corner of the Nevada desert, scientists at JASPER study one of the most consequential materials on Earth: plutonium. This is the story of how a bold experimental concept became a trusted national asset. By utilizing a two-stage gas gun, researchers create extreme conditions for less than a microsecond, generating the precise data that helps to validate and strengthen U.S. science-based stockpile stewardship. The work demands extraordinary precision, complete containment, and an unwavering focus on national security. Guests featured (in order of appearance): David Bober - JASPER Team Lead, LLNL Ricky Chau - JASPER Execution Lead, LLNL -- Big Ideas Lab is a Mission.org original series. Executive Produced by Levi Hanusch. Script by Caroline Kidd. Sound Design, Music Edit and Mix by Matthew Powell. Story Editing by Levi Hanusch. Audio Engineering and Editing by Matthew Powell. Narrated by Matthew Powell. Video Production by Levi Hanusch. Brought to you in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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HPC4EI
Apr 700:20:59Summary readyFrom corrosion-resistant coatings to next-generation batteries and stronger wind turbines, some of today’s toughest industrial challenges share a surprising common thread: they’re being solved inside a computer. In this episode, we explore the High Performance Computing for Energy Innovation program. This collaboration between U.S. national laboratories and private industry uses advanced supercomputing to tackle real-world problems in manufacturing, energy, and materials science. With nearly 200 projects across 12 Department of Energy labs, the program is helping companies reduce energy use, cut carbon emissions, and strengthen American manufacturing by tackling complex industrial challenges with computational science. Guests featured (in order of appearance): Brandon Wood, Project Lead, LLNL Aaron Fisher, HPC4EI Director, LLNL Yeping Hu, Project Lead, LLNL -- Big Ideas Lab is a Mission.org original series. Executive Produced by Levi Hanusch. Script by Caroline Kidd. Sound Design, Music Edit and Mix by Matthew Powell. Story Editing by Levi Hanusch. Audio Engineering and Editing by Matthew Powell. Narrated by Matthew Powell. Video Production by Levi Hanusch. Brought to you in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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Energetic Materials
Mar 2400:22:25Summary readyBehind every safeguard of national security lies a world few ever see. Inside Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, scientists and engineers are redefining how explosions are developed, modeled, and tested to ensure the United States maintains a safe, secure, and reliable deterrent. From molecule-level physics to exascale computing systems, the Energetic Materials Center is the hub of subject matter expertise in explosive science at LLNL. EMC is partnering in global scientific collaborations aimed at reducing risk, advancing security, and shaping the future of deterrence in a rapidly changing world. Guests featured (in order of appearance): Lara Leininger, Director of Energetic Materials Center, LLNL Alex Gash, Deputy Director of Energetic Materials Center, LLNL -- Big Ideas Lab is a Mission.org original series. Executive Produced by Levi Hanusch. Script by Caroline Kidd. Sound Design, Music Edit and Mix by Matthew Powell. Story Editing by Levi Hanusch. Audio Engineering and Editing by Matthew Powell. Narrated by Matthew Powell. Video Production by Levi Hanusch. Brought to you in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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Target Fabrication
Mar 1000:14:06Summary readyAt the center of every experiment at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s National Ignition Facility is a target - a tiny, precisely engineered object built to withstand the intensity of the world’s highest energy laser system. Join us as we explore target fabrication: the craft behind capsules made of diamond, their intricate assemblies, and cross continental journeys that make fusion experiments possible. Guests featured (in order of appearance): Michael Stadermann, Target Fabrication Program Manager, LLNL Jared Hund, LLNL Contract Manager at General Atomics -- Big Ideas Lab is a Mission.org original series. Executive Produced by Levi Hanusch. Script by Dara Bates. Sound Design, Music Edit and Mix by Matthew Powell. Story Editing by Levi Hanusch. Audio Engineering and Editing by Matthew Powell. Narrated by Matthew Powell. Video Production by Levi Hanusch. Brought to you in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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24 Hour Operations
Feb 2400:11:41Summary readyThe world’s most demanding science never sleeps. From facilities that operate around the clock to the people monitoring safety, power, and infrastructure overnight, this episode goes behind the scenes of the invisible operations at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory that keep critical science moving forward - even when nothing appears to be happening. Guests featured (in order of appearance): Cynthia Rivera, Principal Associate Director of Operations & Business, LLNL Robert Scripp, Emergency Management Department Head, LLNL -- Big Ideas Lab is a Mission.org original series. Executive Produced by Levi Hanusch. Script by Elizabeth Sherman. Sound Design, Music Edit and Mix by Matthew Powell. Story Editing by Levi Hanusch. Audio Engineering and Editing by Matthew Powell. Narrated by Matthew Powell. Video Production by Levi Hanusch. Brought to you in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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Discovery Science at NIF
Feb 1000:14:48Summary readyAt Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s National Ignition Facility, scientists recreate the most extreme conditions in the universe. Through the Discovery Science Program, researchers and students from around the world gain rare access to this machine to run experiments that exist for only a fraction of a second, yet reshape what we know about stars, planets, and matter itself. These experiments don’t just explore the cosmos; they create a shared laboratory for discovery and the training ground for the next generation of scientists who will evaluate the safety, security and effectiveness of our nation’s nuclear deterrence.Guests featured (in order of appearance): Dan Kalantar, Chief Systems Engineer for Experimental Systems at NIF, LLNLTilo Doeppner, Experimental Physicist at NIF, LLNL--Big Ideas Lab is a Mission.org original series. Executive Produced by Levi Hanusch.Script by Caroline Kidd.Sound Design, Music Edit and Mix by Matthew Powell. Story Editing by Levi Hanusch. Audio Engineering and Editing by Matthew Powell. Narrated by Matthew Powell. Video Production by Levi Hanusch.Brought to you in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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Drones
Jan 2700:15:18Summary readyDrones, or autonomous sensing systems, step in where humans can’t. At Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, scientists are developing machines that can see, decide and act in real time. In this episode, we explore how drones expand the frontier of possibility: scanning hidden pipelines underground, navigating dangerous terrain and coordinating swarms across land, air, and water. These aren’t just flying cameras. They’re intelligence-gathering systems, force multipliers and life-saving tools.Guests featured (in order of appearance):Brian Wihl, Associate Program Lead for Autonomous Sensors Program, LLNLJames Reimer, Mechanical Engineer for Autonomous Sensors Program, LLNL--Big Ideas Lab is a Mission.org original series. Executive Produced by Levi Hanusch.Script by Caroline Kidd.Sound Design, Music Edit and Mix by Matthew Powell. Story Editing by Levi Hanusch. Audio Engineering and Editing by Matthew Powell. Narrated by Matthew Powell. Video Production by Levi Hanusch.Brought to you in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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