“Vaccination from the Misinformation Virus,” a one-hour documentary, explores how important and safe vaccines are, how crucial they are to community health and how they save millions of lives annually. Hear from infectious disease experts, epidemiologists, pharmacists, physicians and academics with expertise in misinformation as well as health disparities.
Our lifespan for most of human history is short. We had 40 years if we were lucky and 40% to 45% of kids, depending on the era of history, died before the age of 5. So the idea that we get these long lives … we can expect to see our children grow up. This is a gift of science.” Bette Korber, PhD Computational Biologist and Biophysicist Los Alamos National Laboratory. (Full Story)
Most of the vaccines are using antigens (a protein that creates antibodies) that target the coronavirus’s infamous spike protein. If a mutation changes the virus’s spike, it could dramatically lower the efficacy of the vaccine.
Some viruses mutate so quickly, they’re currently impossible to vaccinate against — HIV, for instance.
“They’re designed to optimally cover diversity, in terms of how the immune cells see the virus,” says Bette Korber, a theoretical biologist at Los Alamos National Laboratory and a pioneer in HIV vaccines. Her original design, known as a mosaic antigen, was developed to try to combat HIV. (Full Story)
The robot keeps the hazmat team from having to go near dangerous chemicals and radiological waste. The team can manipulate the robot to open doors then carefully handle dangerous materials. All while crews control it in a truck using a joystick. (Full Story)
Being able to rapidly manipulate the quantum properties of photons using compact, chip-based devices could enhance or open up a raft of technological applications, from high-speed quantum communications to novel forms of propulsion.
That is the vision of scientists at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, USA, who have devised a new type of quantum-based metasurface that can continuously tune light–matter interactions in space and time. The researchers have shown that such metasurfaces could allow single photons to be entangled on demand, or could convert photons in the quantum vacuum from virtual particles into real ones. (Full Story)
Magnetic monopoles in a superconducting quantum annealer. LANL image
Using D-Wave’s quantum-annealing computer, Los Alamos National Laboratory has shown that it’s possible to isolate magnetic monopoles. This research could one day enable future nanomagnets.
D-Wave develops a quantum annealer, a technology that solves optimization problems. For example, if you have a problem with many combinations, a quantum annealing system searches for the best of many possible combinations. (Full Story)
Faces & places
Rian Bahran, a Los Alamos National Laboratory scientist on assignment in Washington, D.C., has received the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service.
Bahran was recognized for his contributions as a senior science and policy adviser for nuclear deterrence policy from January 2019 to May 2020 and a special assistant to the undersecretary of defense for policy from May 2020 to this June. (Full Story)
