Approximately 1,700 scientists visit SSRL annually to conduct experiments in broad disciplines including life sciences, materials, environmental science, and accelerator physics. Science highlights featured here and in our monthly newsletter, Headlines, increase the visibility of user science as well as the important contribution of SSRL in facilitating basic and applied scientific research. Many of these scientific highlights have been included in reports to funding agencies and have been picked up by other media. Users are strongly encouraged to contact us when exciting results are about to be published. We can work with users and the SLAC Office of Communication to develop the story and to communicate user research findings to a much broader audience.
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Water-Rock Reactions Produce Hydrogen Gas at Temperatures within the Limits of Life
Hydrogen gas is produced in chemical reactions between anoxic water and iron-rich rocks at temperatures above 200°C – conditions too hot to support life.
Element-Specific and Real-Time Observation of CO-Ru Chemisorption Bond Breaking with Soft X-ray Spectroscopy
An international collaboration of scientists, including several from SSRL, has taken advantage of the broad range of photon science capabilities available at the lab to investigate a
Imaging and Speciation of CeO2 and ZnO Nanoparticles in Soybean (Glycine max): Nanoparticle Transfer to the Food Chain
The global production of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) is currently a trillion-dollar industry, with nanoparticles now found in products ranging from sunscreen, gas sensors and pigments (ZnO ENPs), to catalysts for internal combustion and oil cracking processes (cerium-based ENPs).
Collaborate on Science Highlights
We can work with users and the SLAC Office of Communication to develop the story and to communicate user research findings to a much broader audience.