Science

LANL: The Woman Behind The Curious Invention Of Modern Software

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Klára Dán von Neumann, her spouse, John, and their dog, Inverse. John von Neumann was a mathematician who also worked at the Los Alamos Lab. Courtesy/LANL

LANL News:

The year 1945 marked not only the birth of the Atomic Age, but also the birth of modern computer programming. The first fully electronic computing machine, the ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer), came online in December 1945. But programming the ENIAC was an excruciatingly difficult task. Klára Dán von Neumann, who joined the Laboratory at Los Alamos after WWII, helped to revolutionize the process, creating Read More

LANL: Laboratory-Developed High Explosives Mitigate Risk Of Accidental Detonation

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The Additive Manufacturing of High Explosives team at LANL, from left, Thuy-Ai (Bi) Nguyen, Alex Mueller, Bryce Tappan, Von Whitley, Andrew Schmalzer and Cameron Brown. Contributors to the Physical Review Letters paper not pictured: Joseph Lichthardt, Larry Hill, Tariq Aslam and Eduardo Lozano. Courtesy/LANL

High-speed camera frame of a detonation wave propagating through a liquid-filled, 3D-printed, high-explosive lattice. The lattice was ‘switched on’ when it was filled with water. Courtesy/LANL

LANL News:

In an effort to mitigate accidental detonations of stored explosives, Read More

Spaceport America Appoints Francisco Pallares New Director Of Business Development

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Dr. Francisco Pallares

SPACEPORT AMERICA News:

SIERRA COUNTY — Dr. Francisco Pallares has been selected as the new Director of Business Development at Spaceport America.

Pallares joins the New Mexico Spaceport Authority from Sul Ross State University and was the former Deputy Director for Economic Development at the City of Las Cruces.

“Francisco brings an important and expert perspective to the New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA),” NMSA Executive Director Scott McLaughlin. “Spaceport America’s mission is to build the aerospace sector in the state and region, and with his guidance, Read More

Scenes From Los Alamos Middle School 2023 Pi Day Event

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Scene from LAMS’s annual Pi Day activities Tuesday, March 14 in the gymnasium. Courtesy/LAMS PTO

Scene from LAMS’s annual Pi Day activities Tuesday, March 14 in the gymnasium. Courtesy/LAMS PTO

LAMS News:

More than 600 students at Los Alamos Middle School (LAMS) participated Tuesday, March 14, in the school’s annual Pi Day activities.

This year’s theme was Route 66 with stations focused on different pi-related math problems for the students to visit. Upon completion of the problems, students received moon pies.

The LAMS PTO thanks the Kiwanis Club of Los Alamos and Los Alamos Schools Credit Read More

The Tiny Key To A Major Goal: Maximizing Crop Growth

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UC RIVERSIDE News:

University of California, Riverside (UC) scientists have significantly advanced the race to control plant responses to temperature on a rapidly warming planet. Key to this breakthrough is miRNA, a molecule nearly 200,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair.

With moderate increases in temperature, plants grow taller to avoid hotter ground and get fresher air. A landmark study published in the journal Nature Communications demonstrates that microRNA or miRNA is required for this growth. The study also identifies which miRNA molecules — out of more than 100 possibilities Read More

Scenes From 2023 Rocket Club Launch At Pinion School

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Pinion Elementary School in White Rock hosted the annual Rocket Club Launch Thursday morning. The 22 rocketeers launched their rockets in front of the entire student body. The event generated lots of excitement as the rocketeers launched their rockets and made a mad dash onto the landing field to catch their rockets as they descended by parachute for a soft landing. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com

Volunteers at the rocket launch event include Robb Hermes, Ray Flesner, Fran Flesner, Alex Short’s mom, and Los Alamos High School students Wilson White and Brandon Stokes. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com Read More

LAPS: Fourteen Students Qualify For State Science Fair

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Students from Los Alamos Public Schools gather for a photo at the Regional Science Fair at New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, N.M. Photo by Pamela Miller

Los Alamos High School junior Daniel Kim, left, won Best of Show at the Regional Science Fair and LAHS junior Andres Iturregui won first alternate for Best of Show. Photo by Pamela Miller

LAPS News:

Fourteen students will be representing Los Alamos Public Schools at the New Mexico State Science Fair next month after qualifying at the Regional Science Fair.

Los Alamos High School junior Daniel Kim won Best of Show at the Regional Science Read More

Verus® Research Hires Melissa Sisneros As New Technical Director For Nuclear Test Environments

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Melissa Sisneros

VERUS RESEARCH News:

ALBUQUERQUE — Verus® Research, a New Mexico-based team of scientists and engineers specializing in advanced research and technology development, announces the appointment of Melissa Sisneros as the company’s technical director for nuclear test environments.

A major focus of Sisneros’ work will be the successful fielding of the Orthrus neutron and gamma test capability on behalf of the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division. Sisneros joins Verus Research after a successful career at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) as a senior technical Read More

SNL Announces New Mexico Regional Science Bowl Winners

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Aditya Koushik, with La Cueva Team 3, had enough points to win the round in the New Mexico Science Bowl. His team went on to win 3rd place in the competition. Photo by Craig Fritz 

Los Alamos High School Team 1: Coach Ali Renner, left, Isaac Gao, Linnhtet Htoon, Minhtet Htoon, Charles Cai, Mary Couture. Photo by Debra Menke

Los Alamos Middle School Team 2: Rafa Rocha, left, Lydia Davis, Amy Bartlett-Gaunt, Julia Zou, Drew Bacrania. Photo by Amy Bartlett-Gaunt 

SNL News:

ALBUQUERQUE — The New Mexico Regional Science Bowl, sponsored by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), brought together 14 high Read More

Fr. Glenn: Deus Ex Machina Novus

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By Fr. Glenn Jones:

Oh, how we love our toys. The new car, the new computer, the new house, or whatever fits our greatest fancy. On the social media sites we see people loving on their Lambo’ or kissing their Corvette. Oh … then there’s the squealing joy acquiring a new cellphone! (“Oh, my preciousss…”)

The trappings of wealth and prosperity can be so intoxicating. After all, do not my “things” indicate my intrinsic worth? Yet, no matter how often that thesis is disproven, we still hold it; even scripture laments: “The poor is disliked even by his neighbor, but the rich has many friends.” (Proverbs Read More