Michael Witherell

HENRY DAVID THOREAU TO AIR ON PBS MARCH 2026 HENRY DAVID THOREAU examines the life and work of the 19th-century writer in the context of antebellum New England and the larger United States, as well as through the universal themes he focused on i...

I am looking forward to seeing Henry David Thoreau on PBS in March: www.pbs.org/about/about-.... And yes, I do have a special connection with HDT: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabe...

The next few years will see amazing advances in quantum computing.

How AI and Automation are Speeding Up Science and Discovery Berkeley Lab is transforming research across disciplines from energy to materials science and more, strengthening American innovation and the nation’s scientific edge.

DYK AI isn’t just changing the game, it’s helping us discover faster? From nanoscale materials to supercomputing, Berkeley Lab researchers are using AI to accelerate science in real time! Learn more ⬇️✨

@als.lbl.gov @molecularfoundry.lbl.gov @esnet.bsky.social @nersc.bsky.social

Energy Department Announces $625 Million to Advance the Next Phase of National Quantum Information Science Research Centers The U.S. Department of Energy today announced $625 million in funding to renew its five National Quantum Information Science Research Centers.

The DOE National Quantum Information Science Research Centers continue their mission.
www.energy.gov/articles/ene...

Weather changing over San Francisco Bay

DOE Announces New Supercomputer Powered by Dell and NVIDIA to Speed Scientific Discovery The NERSC-10 system at Berkeley Lab will accelerate DOE Office of Science research in an era of rapidly advancing simulation, data, and AI capabilities.

NERSC-10 will be named Doudna: DOE awards contract to Dell for #supercomputer powered by NVIDIA’s next-generation Vera Rubin platform

newscenter.lbl.gov/2025/05/29/d...

#HPC #AI @nersc.bsky.social @cs.lbl.gov

US supercomputer named after Nobel laureate Jennifer Doudna to power AI and scientific research A new supercomputer named after a winner of the Nobel Prize in chemistry will help power artificial intelligence technology and scientific discoveries from a perch in the hills above the University of California, Berkeley, federal officials said Thursday.

A new supercomputer named after a winner of the Nobel Prize in chemistry will help power artificial intelligence technology and scientific discoveries from a perch in the hills above the University of California, Berkeley, federal officials said Thursday.

DOE Announces New Supercomputer Powered by Dell and NVIDIA to Speed Scientific Discovery The NERSC-10 system at Berkeley Lab will accelerate DOE Office of Science research in an era of rapidly advancing simulation, data, and AI capabilities.

✨ Berkeley Lab's @nersc.bsky.social, @delltechnologies.bsky.social, and NVIDIA announce new public-private partnership for game-changing US Dept. of Energy Doudna supercomputer, (NERSC-10, strengthening U.S. capabilities, accelerating discovery, and powering future science. 🧪

Weight-loss jabs could halve risk of obesity-related cancers, study finds Experts say findings are transformational and could herald new era of preventive medicine Weight-loss jabs could almost halve the risk of obesity-related cancers, a landmark study suggests. Cancer experts said the findings were “transformational” and could herald a “whole new era of preventive cancer medicine”. Continue reading...

Weight-loss jabs could halve risk of obesity-related cancers, study finds

Enhanced Geothermal Systems: A Promising Source of Round-the-Clock Energy A Q&A with Geothermal Systems Program Lead Eva Schill, who discusses the potential of Enhanced

newscenter.lbl.gov/2025/04/10/e...

New DESI Results Strengthen Hints That Dark Energy May Evolve The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument used millions of galaxies and quasars to build the largest 3D map of our universe to date.

And here is the original story: newscenter.lbl.gov/2025/03/19/n... @berkeleylab.lbl.gov

The new results from DESI were placed right on the front page in Le Monde, just where they belong.

Astronomers Get ‘More Than a Hint’ That Dark Energy Isn’t What They Thought New data further challenge the best scientific theory of the history and the structure of the universe. But a separate recent result reinforces it.

An international team of astronomers on Wednesday unveiled the most compelling evidence to date that dark energy — a mysterious phenomenon pushing our universe to expand ever faster — is not a constant force of nature but one that ebbs and flows through cosmic time.

This is exciting.

1,000 Scientist AI Jam Session: Advancing science with the U.S. national labs OpenAI and nine national labs bring together leading scientists for first-of-its kind event.

We are thrilled to welcome 200 scientists to our Lab today at @lbnlcs.bsky.social for the 1,000 Scientist #AI Jam Session! We can't wait to explore how AI can accelerate discovery alongside our fellow US DOE National Labs, OpenAI, and @anthropic.com! 🧪

Dark energy could be getting weaker, suggesting the universe will end in a 'Big Crunch' "The discovery of evolving dark energy would be as revolutionary as the discovery of the accelerated expansion of the universe itself, if confirmed."

We aren't yet sure if acceleration caused by dark energy is weakening. We will know much more when the DESI collaboration is able to publish the results from its full five-year survey. As to what that could mean for the fate of the universe, here is a good article: www.space.com/desi-cosmolo...

NERSC Opens Access to IBM Quantum Computers Through Quantum Innovation Center Starting January 2025, NERSC users will access IBM’s quantum computers via the cloud, enabling research on scientific applications.

It’s great to see IBM headlining in scientific #HPC again, especially with a leading partner like @nersc.bsky.social. While AI is sucking so much air out of the room, quantum is a green field for innovation.

thequantuminsider.com/2025/01/24/n...

Taking Stock of the Known and Unknown Microbial Space - Biosciences Area Using publicly available genome sequence data generated over the past three decades, JGI researchers assess the known fraction of microbial diversity.

In Science Advances: "We took a deep dive into over 1.8 million bacterial and archaeal genomes to see how much of their diversity we’ve actually captured. Turns out that despite all the genomes we’ve sequenced, we’ve only scratched the surface." -Dongying Wu

🖥️🧬🦠

biosciences.lbl.gov/2025/01/17/t...

Three Berkeley Lab Scientists Receive PECASE Award Three scientists with Berkeley Lab were among the nearly 400 scientists and engineers awarded by President Biden to receive the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE).

Congratulations to Lab scientists Raúl Briceño, Stefan Wild, and Ahmet Kusoglu for receiving the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest honor the US government bestows on early-career scientists and engineers. 🧪

More ⬇️
newscenter.lbl.gov/2025/01/16/t...

Strategic Report on Research and Development in Biotechnology for Defense Innovation Read online, download a free PDF, or order a copy in print.

US National Academies: Strategic Report on Research and Development in Biotechnology for Defense Innovation

🧪 From groundbreaking automation in experimental data to advancing early career scientists, our LDRD program is driving innovation forward. With 109 projects funded at $27.5M, we're building a future of limitless possibilities. ⬇️
research.lbl.gov/2025/01/09/l...

#ScienceInnovation #NationalLabs

Is there a link between #ClimateChange & increasing risk/severity of #wildfire in California--including the still-unfolding disaster? Yes. Is climate change the only factor at play? No, of course not. So what's really going on? [Thread] #CAfire #CAwx #LAfires iopscience.iop.org/a...

Berkeley Lab’s Jennifer Doudna Awarded National Medal of Technology and Innovation Jennifer Doudna has been awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation.

“On behalf of the Berkeley Lab community, I extend my warmest congratulations to Jennifer for receiving the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. Her groundbreaking research will push the boundaries of science and benefit humanity.” - @mwitherell.bsky.social
newscenter.lbl.gov/2025/01/07/b...

President Biden Honors Nation’s Leading Scientists, Technologists, and Innovators | The White House Today, President Biden announced the latest recipients of the National Medal of Science and the National Medal of Technology and Innovation—our nation’s

www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-roo... Congratulations to all of the award winners for their remarkable accomplishments in science and technology.

Excited to share groundbreaking research from our @molecularfoundry.bsky.social team in collaboration w/ Columbia Engineering! Our scientists helped develop revolutionary nanoscale force sensors that could transform everything from robotics to medicine.🧪
www.engineering.columbia.edu/about/news/t...

New starter pack by @berkeleylab.bsky.social to make it easier to find me and my colleagues here at Berkeley Lab!

go.bsky.app/9X5y998

This remarkable chart brings to mind the work of Arthur Rosenfeld, who drove the establishment of the California energy efficiency standards in 1977. www.tang-prize.org/en/media_det.... Art was awarded the National Medal of Technology in 2011 for his contributions.

Helen Edwards was both a brilliant accelerator scientist and one of the most inspiring leaders we have had in the field of particle physics. It was a privilege to work with her at Fermilab. She deserves to have her name on the Integrate Engineering Research Center there.

Shaping the Future of AI | National Academies Artificial intelligence and related technologies – such as machine learning, large language models, and neural networks – are advancing at a rapid pace. As AI is used increasingly in daily life and…

As artificial intelligence increasingly becomes a part of daily life, the National Academies are advising the nation on AI use, policy, ethics, and innovation. Explore the work we're doing to shape the future of AI:

Berkeley Lab’s Ashok Gadgil Receives National Medal of Technology and Innovation

All of us at @berkeleylab.lbl.gov are so proud of what Ashok has accomplished. newscenter.lbl.gov/2023/10/24/b...