The Physical Sciences Area seeks to understand the fundamental physics of the universe at scales ranging from the infinitely small, inside the world of subatomic particles and nuclei, to the infinitely large, in the structure and evolution of the universe. To tackle these two infinities, we develop cutting-edge tools and technologies, coupled with creative scientific insights, that advance scientific knowledge and ultimately benefit society.
Accelerator Technology & Applied Physics
The Accelerator Technology & Applied Physics (ATAP) Division invents, develops, and deploys particle accelerators and accelerator-based photon sources to explore and control matter and energy.
Engineering
The Engineering Division builds advanced scientific instrumentation that enables many of the research breakthroughs achieved by Berkeley Lab. These discoveries are the direct result of the integrated coordination and deployment of professional engineering and specialized technical resources.
Nuclear Science
The Nuclear Science Division conducts basic research aimed at understanding the structure and interactions of nuclei and the forces of nature as manifested in nuclear matter.
Physics
Interactions between matter and energy shape our world and the universe around us. Physics Division researchers are studying these interactions from the innermost confines of subatomic particles to the outermost reaches of the cosmos.
The Invisible Cannonball: Tracking Alpha Therapy for the Future of Cancer Treatment
The National Academy of Sciences Elects Two Berkeley Lab Researchers
Berkeley Lab physicists help commission the Mu2e tracker
The Invisible Cannonball: Tracking Alpha Therapy for the Future of Cancer Treatment
In Episode 3 of the Let’s Get Nuclear podcast, NSD researchers explore the shift from traditional beta-emitting isotopes – which act like tiny BB pellets – to the high-energy power of alpha emitters, which hit cancer cells like cannonballs. But there is a catch: these potent treatments are used in such small doses that they are nearly invisible to current imaging technology.
Behind the Science: FIONA
Does the periodic table break down? To find out, Berkeley Lab researchers are using FIONA, a state-of-the-art spectrometer at the Lab’s 88-Inch Cyclotron, to study the chemistry of the heaviest elements.
CNC Machine Installation
This 2022-2026 time-lapse video shows the Berkeley Lab Engineering Division’s new 40-ton large-format Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Horizontal Boring Mill (HBM) being installed and incorporated into the existing machine shop infrastructure, and explains how it enhances our ability to deliver high-precision solutions for world-class science.
