The American Lab

Behind the scenes of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the quintessential American lab. Nobel laureate Ernest O. Lawrence and renowned physicist Edward Teller founded the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in 1952. A new ideas incubator, the Lab was at the heart of nuclear testing and the development of supercomputers, lasers, and other major technological innovations of the second half of the twentieth century. Many of its leaders became prominent figures in the technical and defense establishments, and by the end of the 1960s, Livermore was the peer of Los Alamos National Lab, a relationship that continues today. In The American Lab, former Livermore director C. Bruce Tarter offers unparalleled access to the inner workings of the Lab. Touching on Cold War nuclear science and the technological shift that occurred after the fall of the Berlin Wall, he traces the Lab’s evolution from its founding under University of California management through its transfer to private oversight. Along the way, he highlights important episodes in that journey, from the invention of Polaris, the first submarine-launched ballistic missile, to the Lab’s controversial role in the Star Wars program. He also describes Livermore’s significant responsibilities in stockpile stewardship, the program that ensures the safety and reliability of the US nuclear arsenal. The book portrays the lab’s extensive work on thermonuclear fusion, a potential source of unlimited energy; describes the development of the world’s largest laser fusion installation, the National Ignition Facility; and examines a number of smaller projects, such as the Lab’s participation in founding the Human Genome Project. Finally, it traces the relationship of the Lab to its federal sponsor, the Department of Energy, as it evolved from partnership to compliance with orders, a shift that affected all of the national laboratories. Drawing on oral histories, internal laboratory documents, and the author’s personal experiences from more than fifty years as a Lab employee, The American Lab is an illuminating history of the Lab and its revolutionary work.

"In The American Lab, former LLNL director Bruce Tarter captures the spirit of the Laboratory and its reflection of the broader world in which it thrived. He identifies the major themes that have characterized science and technology in the latter half of the twentieth century--the growth and decline of nuclear warheads, the unprecedented rise of supercomputing technology, laser systems, fusion, and mass spectrometry. He illuminates the Cold War dynamic from the participants' point of view--an unusual and valuable perspective on nuclear history. The story of the laboratory is a tale of three eras. Although the Lab took its research vision from European Edward Teller, its modus operandi came almost exclusively from namesake Ernest Lawrence and was subsequently invented in-house by its scientists and staff. During its first two decades the Lab's focus was almost entirely on nuclear weapons research and development, with a few other smaller enterprises that were technically related to the nuclear weapons activities. In the 1970s and 1980s, the Laboratory, along with many others in the Department of Energy complex, expanded into civilian pursuits that included energy, environment, biology, and basic science. A major program in laser science and technology became a cornerstone of this period. The third era was initiated by the end of the Cold War and saw the transformation of the traditional nuclear weapons activities into the stockpile stewardship program along with the rapid growth of projects that can be broadly characterized as homeland security. Tarter's history/memoir of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, provides an insider's examination of nuclear science in the Cold War and the technological shift that occurred after the fall of the Berlin Wall."--Provided by publisher.

According to the American Kennel Club, the Labrador retriever has been rated as the most popular purebred dog in America for thirteen consecutive years. In fact, nearly three times as many Labs were registered in 2002 than any other breed. The Everything Labrador Retriever Book is the perfect introduction to America's most popular pet. Written by dog expert Kim Campbell Thornton, The Everything Labrador Retriever Book is packed with professional, breed-specific advice that helps readers raise, care for, and train their Lab safely and successfully. Packed full of photos showing Labs in action, The Everything Labrador Retriever Book is perfect for new and seasoned dog owners!

Laboratory experiences as a part of most U.S. high school science curricula have been taken for granted for decades, but they have rarely been carefully examined. What do they contribute to science learning? What can they contribute to science learning? What is the current status of labs in our nation�s high schools as a context for learning science? This book looks at a range of questions about how laboratory experiences fit into U.S. high schools: What is effective laboratory teaching? What does research tell us about learning in high school science labs? How should student learning in laboratory experiences be assessed? Do all student have access to laboratory experiences? What changes need to be made to improve laboratory experiences for high school students? How can school organization contribute to effective laboratory teaching? With increased attention to the U.S. education system and student outcomes, no part of the high school curriculum should escape scrutiny. This timely book investigates factors that influence a high school laboratory experience, looking closely at what currently takes place and what the goals of those experiences are and should be. Science educators, school administrators, policy makers, and parents will all benefit from a better understanding of the need for laboratory experiences to be an integral part of the science curriculum-and how that can be accomplished.

The author of the Bad Food series introduces Cocoa: fierce friend, energetic pup, and star of this deliciously sweet chapter book series! Cocoa is cooking up trouble . . . Take one family’s chocolate shop, add a dash of competition with the fancy new store on the block, stir in a candy-crazy Labrador named Cocoa . . . and you’ve got a recipe for disaster! If Mason and Hannah can win first prize at the annual Chocolate Expo, they may be able to save their parents’ shop. But Cocoa can’t control himself in the kitchen. And one more mess means they’ll have to say goodbye to their pup for good!

Strictly off limits to the public, Plum Island is home to virginal beaches, cliffs, forests, ponds -- and the deadliest germs that have ever roamed the planet. Lab 257 blows the lid off the stunning true nature and checkered history of Plum Island. It shows that the seemingly bucolic island in the shadow of New York City is a ticking biological time bomb that none of us can safely ignore. Based on declassified government documents, in-depth interviews, and access to Plum Island itself, this is an eye-opening, suspenseful account of a federal government germ laboratory gone terribly wrong. For the first time, Lab 257 takes you deep inside this secret world and presents startling revelations on virus outbreaks, biological meltdowns, infected workers, the periodic flushing of contaminated raw sewage into area waters, and the insidious connections between Plum Island, Lyme disease, and the deadly West Nile virus. The book also probes what's in store for Plum Island's new owner, the Department of Homeland Security, in this age of bioterrorism. Lab 257 is a call to action for those concerned with protecting present and future generations from preventable biological catastrophes.