Environmental Science
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In a first, researchers identify reddish coloring in an ancient fossil – a 3-million-year-old mouse
X-rays reveal an extinct mouse was dressed in brown to reddish fur on its back and sides and had a tiny white tummy.
10 ways SLAC’s X-ray laser has transformed science
In the decade since LCLS produced its first light, it has pushed boundaries in countless areas of discovery.
A mile-long graveyard of Jurassic fossils sparks a new international science collaboration
Researchers will use SLAC’s X-ray light source to probe 150 million-year-old dinosaur fossils at the atomic level.
X-rays show how periods of stress changed an ice age hyena to the bone
Researchers mapped trace elements within Pleistocene fossils to learn about the life of a long-extinct subspecies of spotted hyena.
Researchers create most complete high-res atomic movie of photosynthesis to date
In a major step forward, SLAC’s X-ray laser captures all four stable states of the process that produces the oxygen we breathe, as well as fleeting steps in between. The work opens doors to understanding the past and creating a greener future.
Shunned by Microbes, Organic Carbon Can Resist Breakdown in Underground Environments
A new study reveals that organic matter whose breakdown would yield only minimal energy for hungry microorganisms preferentially builds up in floodplains, illuminating a new mechanism of carbon sequestration.
New Device Produces Hydrogen Peroxide for Water Purification
Scientists at SLAC and Stanford have identified active carbon catalysts and developed an electrochemical cell designed to purify water in small villages.
SLAC Study Helps Explain Why Uranium Persists in Groundwater at Former Mining Sites
The contaminant binds to organic matter in sediments, which increases persistence in groundwater.
Eureka Moment Leads to New Method of Studying Environmental Toxins
A technique for probing the surface of particles revealed how toxins move from the soil to groundwater.
SLAC, Stanford Gadget Grabs More Solar Energy to Disinfect Water Faster
Researchers at SLAC and Stanford have created a nanostructured device, about half the size of a postage stamp, that harnesses more of the sun's spectrum of light to disinfect water much faster than with ultraviolet rays alone.
