passion for discover y
Cover photo: Map showing magnetic flux lines for nickel nanoparticles
passion for discover y
managed for the U.S. Department of Energy 

by Brookhaven Science Associates, a company 

founded by Stony Brook University and Battelle

passion for discover y

A passion for discovery is thriving at 

Brookhaven National Laboratory. 

Each year, close to 4,000 Laboratory, university, and industry scientists 

use Brookhaven’s unique facilities to 

delve into the basic mysteries of physics, chemistry, materials, and biology. 

Brookhaven’s researchers develop 

new technologies with applications 

ranging from energy to medicine, study 

humankind’s impact on the environment, and serve our nation in national 

security arenas. Since its inception in 

1947, the Lab has been home to six 

Nobel Prize-winning discoveries and 

countless other advances. Funded primarily by the Offi ce of Science of the 

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the 

Laboratory houses large-scale instruments and facilities available nowhere 

else in the world. This booklet offers 

a glimpse at the spectrum of this 

research, highlighting the Lab’s major 

programs and initiatives.

4 The Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider

Exciting Beginning, Compelling Future

Since 2000, this premiere physics facility has 

been colliding gold nuclei at nearly the speed of 

light, re-creating conditions of the early universe 

and offering deep insights into the fundamental 

forces and properties of matter. From its exciting beginnings, a startling new view of the early 

universe is emerging. Planned upgrades promise 

a compelling future through a richer understanding of the “perfect” liquid that pervaded 

the early universe, recently discovered at RHIC.

8 The National Synchrotron Light Source

A Beacon for Research 

Each year, thousands of scientists from the 

U.S. and abroad perform experiments using 

Brookhaven’s intense x-ray, ultraviolet, and 

infrared light source, the National Synchrotron 

Light Source (NSLS). Their studies span all 

scientifi c fi elds: from studies of the structure of 

proteins, to elucidating the properties of new 

materials, to understanding the fate of chemicals in our environment. A newer synchrotron 

known as NSLS-II, planned for completion in 

the next decade, will be the highest resolution 

light source in the world, expanding scientists’ 

ability to probe structures at the nanoscale.

12 Center for Functional Nanomaterials

A Window into the Ultrasmall

Nanoscience — the study of materials on the 

order of billionths of a meter — has the potential to bring about and accelerate new technologies in energy distribution, drug delivery, 

sensors, and industrial processes. Brookhaven’s 

Center for Functional Nanomaterials will be a 

hub for cutting-edge nanoscience studies aimed 

at solving energy problems through research on 

more effi cient materials and practical alternatives to fossil fuels, including hydrogen energy 

sources and improved solar energy systems.

Editor: Kay Cordtz • Writers: Kay Cordtz, Laura Mgrdichian

Karen McNulty Walsh • Photographers: Roger Stoutenburgh,

Peter Horton • Graphic Design: Lisa Jansson

For more information call (631) 344-2345 or go to www.bnl.gov.

Table of Contents
a passion for discovery 3

16 Life Sciences

From Molecules and Cells to Medicine 

and Mother Nature 

Brookhaven’s research in the life sciences has a 

long and distinguished history and a promising 

future, including basic studies on DNA and proteins, molecular and cellular mechanisms, sophisticated imaging techniques, and biomedical and 

environmental applications based on this knowledge. These studies advance our understanding 

of the biological processes at work within and 

around us, offering many potential benefits to 

human health and society at large.

20 Environmental Sciences

Understanding and Protecting Our World

Scientists from a wide variety of disciplines are 

working to understand and protect our world 

on the global scale by studying global climate 

change, how to mitigate the impacts of human 

activity, and alternative energy sources — and, in 

the interests of national security, by working to 

prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and the 

misuse of radioactive materials. These programs 

have the common goal of maintaining a livable 

planet with safety and security for all

24 Educational Programs

Investing in America’s Future 

More than 25,000 elementary and secondary 

school students and teachers — and several 

hundred college students and faculty members 

— come to Brookhaven Lab each year for visits to our Science Learning Center, science and 

engineering competitions, and opportunities 

to participate in world-class research alongside 

scientific mentors in our labs. These programs 

aim to ignite an interest in science and help 

maintain America’s leadership in the world by 

training the next generation of scientists.

25 The Historical Perspective

Snapshots of Past Brookhaven Discoveries

Six Nobel Prizes — five in physics and one 

in chemistry — top the list of Brookhaven’s 

past science highlights not covered elsewhere in these pages.

Brookhaven National Laboratory is operated and managed for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science by Brookhaven 

Science Associates, a limited-liability company founded by nearby Stony Brook University, the largest academic user of Laboratory 

facilities, and Battelle Memorial Institute, a nonprofit, applied science and technology organization.
STAR 

PHOBOS 

BRAHMS 

PHENIX

Spinning in Another Direction

In addition to investigating the primordial 

properties of the universe, some RHIC scientists 

are looking into another fundamental question 

of particle physics: What is responsible for 

proton “spin”? A magnetic property of particles 

as basic as mass and electrical charge, spin is 

Data images from the four detectors at 

the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider.

The Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider

An Exciting Beginning and a Compelling Future

The Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory has taken its place 

among the world’s premiere nuclear physics research facilities. Here, physicists are exploring the most 

fundamental forces and properties of matter and the early universe. Built and operated with funding 

from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Offi ce of Science, RHIC research offers insight into the entire 

spectrum of existence — from the subatomic to the cosmic, and from the beginning of time to the 

present and beyond. 

The corkscrew grooves on Siberian Snake magnets 

help keep proton spins aligned, or polarized.

Since 2000, the facility has been performing 

beyond expectations, producing discoveries 

that have captured worldwide attention from 

both scientists and the public. In doing so, 

RHIC research has shone a spotlight on 

U.S. leadership in science. And the exciting 

scientifi c output of RHIC has just begun.

Looking back

Like a giant “telescope” peering deep into the 

inner space of atomic nuclei, RHIC looks back in 

time to explore matter as it is thought to have 

existed fractions of a second after the birth of 

the universe. Inside the 2.5-mile-circumference 

particle accelerator, two beams of gold ions 
a passion for discovery 5

a particle’s intrinsic angular momentum. Using 

specialized magnets known as Siberian Snakes 

to keep the spins of protons mostly aligned in 

the same direction, physicists at RHIC can collide 

beams of these “polarized protons” to examine 

the structure underlying the proton’s spin. 

This research will offer further insight into the 

interactions of subatomic particles.

At RHIC, researchers look back in time to an 

instant just after the Big Bang (far left) to learn 

about how matter in the universe evolved.

circulating at nearly the speed of light collide 

head on, releasing enormous amounts of energy. 

Under these conditions, the quarks and gluons 

that make up protons and neutrons in ordinary 

atomic nuclei are expected to be free for a 

fl eeting instant — just as scientists believe they 

were microseconds after the Big Bang, before 

joining together to form protons, neutrons, 

atoms, stars, planets, and people. Using sophisticated detectors known as BRAHMS, PHENIX, 

PHOBOS, and STAR, RHIC’s researchers take 

“snapshots” of this early universe substance and 

study how it evolves.

Understanding matter at such a fundamental 

level will teach us about the forces that hold 

the universe and everything in it together. Earlier physics studies on the basic structure and 

properties of matter have yielded countless, 

unforeseen advances and many technologies 

we now take for granted — things like personal 

computers based on state-of-the-art electronics, medical tools that help diagnose and treat 

disease without surgery, and telecommunications devices that allow us to talk with friends 

and colleagues around the world using a device 

smaller than a human hand. Of course, no one 

can predict what, if any, practical applications the 

knowledge gained from RHIC will yield, but 

we’ll never know unless we delve deeper 

into the mysteries of matter.

Liquid universe

Evidence to date suggests that RHIC’s 

gold-gold collisions are indeed creating a 

new state of hot, dense matter, but one 

quite different and even more remarkable 

than had been predicted. Instead of behaving like a gas of free quarks and gluons, as 

was expected, the matter created in 

RHIC’s heavy ion collisions appears to 

be more like a liquid.

Illustration © 1998 Contemporary Physics Education Project (www.cpepweb.org).
Crunching the Data

RHIC continues to push the development of 

ever more powerful computing technology 

to process and make sense of its enormous 

volumes of data. This shouldn’t be a surprise 

considering that high-energy and nuclear physicists were the fi rst to conceive of and develop a 

worldwide network of interconnected 

computers — precursor to today’s World 

Wide Web — to speed the sharing and 

analysis of their work.

During a recent RHIC run, the experiments 

collected a total of 675 Terabytes of data 

— enough to fi ll roughly 1 million compact 

discs. Much of these data will be analyzed on 

the more than 3300 processors at the RHIC 

Computing Facility (RCF). The RCF received 

data from the experiments at rates in excess 

of 200 Megabytes per second — equivalent to 

transferring the contents of a CD in 3 seconds 

— storing the data on tapes for later analysis. 

That evidence comes from measurements by 

the four RHIC detectors of unexpected patterns 

in the trajectories taken by the thousands of 

particles produced in individual collisions. Instead 

of dissipating randomly, as would be expected 

in a gas, the particles tend to move collectively 

in response to variations of pressure across the 

volume formed by the colliding nuclei. Scientists 

refer to this phenomenon as “fl ow,” since it is 

analogous to the properties of fl uid motion.

However, unlike ordinary liquids, in which 

individual molecules move about randomly, the 

hot matter formed at RHIC seems to move 

in a pattern that exhibits a high degree of 

coordination among the particles — somewhat 

like a school of fi sh that responds as one entity 

while moving through a changing environment. 

The scientists describe this as fl uid motion that 

is nearly “perfect,” because it can be explained 

by equations of hydrodynamics. In fact, the 

high degree of collective interaction and rapid 

distribution of thermal energy among the 

The RHIC computing facility 

contains 3300 processors.
a passion for discovery 7

To speed the analysis, RCF processors will at 

times be augmented by computing resources 

from collaborating sites around the world using the latest rendition of large-scale computer 

networking, known as the Grid. The Grid keeps 

track of all the networked computers, and distributes jobs among them. The PHENIX experiment recently used Grid technology to transfer 

RHIC’s “perfect” liquid: Green 

“force lines” represent a high degree 

of interaction and fl ow among the quarks.

particles, as well as the extremely low viscosity 

(or resistance to fl ow) in the matter being 

formed at RHIC, make it the most nearly 

perfect liquid ever observed.

Moving forward

Planned upgrades to RHIC will expand the 

facility’s reach for understanding this liquid 

phase of the early universe and allow 

researchers to investigate entirely new but 

complementary areas of physics. 

The fi rst upgrade, known as RHIC-II, will 

increase the collider’s luminosity, or collision 

rate, approximately 10-fold, and improve 

the sensitivity of the big detectors to record 

extremely rare processes — some of which 

occur in fewer than one in a billion collisions 

— to reveal detailed characteristics of the 

new form of matter. 

Another upgrade, known as eRHIC, would add 

a high-energy electron ring to create the world’s 

only electron-heavy ion collider. By colliding 

heavy nuclei with electrons at energies never 

before achieved in the laboratory, physicists 

expect to probe another new form of matter 

known as a color glass condensate — hypothesized to be the maximum density state that 

can be achieved by particles subject to the 

strong force.

These upgrades exemplify RHIC’s fl exibility to 

explore the newest and most intriguing questions about the substructure of matter and 

the underlying mechanism by which mass is 

transformed into energy (or energy into mass) 

in accordance with Einstein’s famous equation, 

E=mc2. Perhaps this research will even ignite a 

spark in the mind of the next Einstein. ■

nearly 270 Terabytes of data to the RIKEN 

Institute in Japan. Additional data now stored 

at RCF will also be analyzed via the Grid.

RHIC research also demands computing power 

for theoretical calculations. Two new supercomputers, each capable of 10 trillion arithmetic calculations per second, will contribute to this task. 
The National Synchrotron Light Source

A Beacon for Research

Each year, thousands of scientists from the U.S. and abroad travel to Brookhaven’s National Synchrotron 

Light Source (NSLS) to perform experiments using its bright beams of x-ray, ultraviolet, and infrared 

light. These researchers study proteins, polymers, metals, soils — to name just a few examples — to 

learn about their unique structures and properties.

The NSLS, funded by the U.S. Department of 

Energy’s Offi ce of Science, produces light that 

cannot be generated in an ordinary laboratory, 

and therefore provides research opportunities 

that are not available at the scientists’ home 

institutions. These studies span a spectrum of 

scientifi c fi elds: biology, physics, materials science, 

medical science, chemistry, nanoscience, and 

environmental science.

A light factory

At the NSLS, making light begins with electrons, 

which are accelerated to nearly the speed of 

light by very powerful magnets in a circular 

particle accelerator known as a synchrotron. As 

the electrons zoom around this “storage ring,” 

they emit light, called synchrotron light.

The NSLS features two storage rings. The x-ray 

ring produces high-energy x-rays, and the 

vacuum-ultraviolet ring produces ultraviolet, 

infrared, and low-energy x-ray light. To distribute 

the light for use in experiments, several “beam 

lines” are located at many points around each 

ring. The beam lines, more than 80 in total, serve 

as light-beam “exit lanes,” channeling the light 

from the storage ring to research end stations, 

The structure of a segment of ribonucleic acid (RNA) where scientists use it to analyze their samples.

Users at the NSLS

At Brookhaven National Laboratory, visiting 

researchers — nearly 4,000 each year — are 

a vital component of the Lab’s rich scientifi c 

community. They come from around the world 

to take advantage of the capabilities offered by 

Brookhaven’s multiple user facilities, including 

the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, Alternating 

Gradient Synchrotron, Accelerator Test Facility, 

NASA Space Radiation Laboratory, and Center 

for Functional Nanomaterials.

The majority, however, come to Brookhaven to 

work at the NSLS. In fact, the NSLS is one of 

the busiest scientifi c facilities in the world, each 

year hosting more than 2,300 guest researchers 

from approximately 400 universities, 

laboratories, and corporations.

About 60 percent of these researchers are 

from either the life or materials sciences, but 
a passion for discovery 9

A giant microscope

The NSLS allows scientists to “see” the tiny 

molecular structures of many substances and 

specimens. With this capability, scientists at 

the NSLS have made many fascinating 

discoveries and are engaged in many ongoing 

projects. These include:

• Revealing a potential explanation for 

superconductivity, a little-understood 

phenomenon that may revolutionize 

computers and electronics

• Studying the chemical composition of bones, 

which may aid in the understanding of 

arthritis and osteoporosis

• Determining the structure of a section 

of RNA, which may lead to new ways to 

prevent or treat genetic disorders

• Using plants to clean up environmental 

contaminants, a technique known as 

phytoremediation

• Producing the fi rst images of HIV, the virus 

that causes AIDS, attacking a human cell

• Determining a new way to use x-rays to 

study carbon nanotubes, tiny cylindrical 

carbon molecules with exceptional strength, 

conductivity, and heat resistance

• Studying how the structure and properties 

of various materials change when subjected 

to extreme high-pressure, high-temperature 

conditions

Spotlight on life sciences

Scientists in the biological and medical sciences 

form the largest group of researchers at the 

NSLS, performing studies that aim to probe and 

understand the subtle inner workings of organisms, or to improve human health.

Many of these researchers investigate protein 

structures, leading to fascinating (and often 

beautiful) protein “snapshots” that can form 

the foundation for developing drugs and 

treatments for disease, or that reveal the 

intricate mechanisms of cell functions. For 

example, in 2003, NSLS researcher Roderick 

MacKinnon of The Rockefeller University won 

many also conduct research in chemistry, 

geosciences and ecology, and applied science 

and engineering. The remaining users perform 

research in optical, nuclear, and general physics, or other fi elds.

All told, these user scientists publish, on 

average, more than 700 papers each 

year, all stemming from experiments 

performed at the NSLS.

Roderick MacKinnon, a visiting researcher at the NSLS, shared 

the 2003 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for work explaining how 

one class of proteins helps to generate nerve impulses.
the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for determining 

the atomic structure of a cell-membrane 

protein that allows ions to pass in and out 

of cells. His work opened a doorway to 

understanding the mechanism of ion channels, 

which are responsible for all nerve and muscle 

signals in the body.

In another set of experiments, scientists are 

using a combination of ultraviolet and infrared 

light to study the structures of proteins 

involved in creating the characteristic “plaques” 

and “tangles” that form in the brains of 

Alzheimer’s patients.

Additionally, NSLS scientists have developed 

a new imaging technique to see cartilage 

and other soft tissues better than any other 

method. The technique provides more 

detailed images than other techniques, such 

as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 

ultrasound, and imparts a lower x-ray dose 

than conventional x-rays. It is a promising 

method for detecting breast cancer and may 

provide an alternative to mammography.

A bigger, brighter NSLS

As the boundaries of scientifi c discovery 

have expanded, many researchers are 

looking for additional capabilities beyond 

those that can be provided by the NSLS, 

or indeed by any other synchrotron in the 

world. To take their research to the next 

level — to see even smaller, subtler details 

of their samples — they need more intense, 

better-focused beams of light. Although the 

NSLS has been continually updated since its 

A bird’s-eye view of the NSLS, which has been operating since 

1982. The NSLS was the fi rst of the “second generation” 

synchrotrons, built to take advantage of the phenomenon of 

synchrotron radiation by using it for research.

Seeing the Very Small

The NSLS-II facility will allow scientists to “see” 

deep into material samples, revealing extremely 

tiny details – even down to the billionth-of-ameter level. These abilities will make NSLS-II a 

key complement to Brookhaven Lab’s Center 

for Functional Nanomaterials.

At left, a nanowire is wrapped around a human hair. 

Nanowires are one example of the type of interesting and useful materials that scientists at NSLS-II and 

the CFN will study. Nanowires have the potential to 

miniaturize and improve the performance of many 

devices, possibly leading to a new generation of 

ultrafast computers, improved magnetic storage 

media, advanced chemical detectors, and even 

biosensors to detect disease.
a passion for discovery 11 

commissioning in 1982, today the practical 

limits of its performance have been reached. 

And while newer synchrotrons far surpass 

the performance of the present NSLS, no 

synchrotron anywhere in the world — either 

currently operating, under construction, or in 

design — will enable scientists to image and 

characterize materials down to billionth-of-ameter resolution.

As a result, Brookhaven has proposed building a 

replacement for the present NSLS — NSLS-II. 

NSLS-II will be a state-of-the-art, world-leading 

synchrotron that will produce brighter light 

than any other synchrotron in the world.

Like an extremely powerful microscope, 

NSLS-II will provide scientists with the 

world’s fi nest capabilities for x-ray imaging. Its 

superior capabilities will reinforce U.S. scientifi c 

leadership, giving researchers here a competitive 

advantage in numerous scientifi c fi elds, which, 

in turn, will benefi t our nation’s economy.

The unique characteristics of NSLS-II will 

enable scientists to explore the “grand 

challenges” they face in developing new 

materials with advanced properties. It will lead 

to signifi cant advances in condensed matter 

and materials physics, chemistry, and biology — 

advances that will ultimately enhance national 

security and help drive the development of 

abundant, safe, and clean energy technologies.

This view of the NSLS experimental fl oor shows four aluminumfoil-wrapped beam lines. Why foil? For light to travel down the 

beam lines properly, they are heated to “bake” away molecules 

attached to their inner walls. Just as with baked potatoes, the foil 

helps keep the beam pipes hot.

Moreover, NSLS-II will have broad impact 

on a wide range of disciplines and scientifi c 

initiatives, including the National Institutes 

of Health’s structural genomics initiative, the 

U.S. Department of Energy’s Genomes to 

Life initiative, and the federal nanoscience 

initiative, among others. It is expected to be 

an important complement to Brookhaven’s 

Center for Functional Nanomaterials 

(CFN), as researchers will be able to 

produce nanomaterials at the CFN and 

analyze their structures and properties 

right next door at NSLS-II.

At left, “dancing triangles” are formed by sulfur atoms 

on a layer of copper, which in turn rests upon a base, or 

“substrate,” of ruthenium. Scientists at NSLS-II and the 

CFN will study this type of confi guration to understand 

how one metal behaves on top of another, and how 

sulfur atoms affect that interaction. Layered metals are 

often used as catalysts, such as those that clean pollutants from automobile exhaust in catalytic converters. 

Copper on ruthenium may make a particularly good 

model catalyst.
Center for Functional Nanomaterials 

A Window into the Ultrasmall

Nanoscience is the synthesis and study of structures on the scale of atoms, or a billionth of a meter. 

Materials that are a few microns, or millionths of a meter, in size are currently employed in today’s 

technology, but materials 1,000 times smaller are now being investigated and their potential applications 

are being explored.

Still early in its development, nanoscience has 

the potential to bring about and accelerate new 

technologies in energy distribution, drug delivery, sensors, and industrial processes. 

In October 2005, the Laboratory held a 

groundbreaking ceremony for Brookhaven’s 

Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN), 

one of fi ve Nanoscale Science Research 

Centers to be built at Department of Energy 

national laboratories. The 94,500-square-foot 

state-of-the-art laboratory/offi ce facility is expected to attract an estimated 300 researchers 

CFN researchers will use advanced probes and new fabrication techniques to study materials at nanoscale dimensions.
a passion for discovery 13

from the Northeast annually, and will be a hub 

for cutting-edge nanoscience studies.

The CFN will provide researchers with stateof-the-art capabilities to fabricate and study nanoscale materials. Functional materials are those 

which exhibit a predetermined chemical or 

physical response to external stimuli. The CFN’s 

focus is to achieve a basic understanding of 

how these materials respond when in nanoscale 

form. Nanomaterials offer different chemical 

and physical properties than bulk materials, and 

have the potential to form the basis of new 

technologies.

The overarching research goal of the CFN is to 

help solve the U.S.’s energy problems by exploring materials that use energy more effi ciently and 

by researching practical alternatives to fossil fuels, 

such as hydrogen-based energy sources and improved, more affordable solar energy systems.

Under that energy banner, CFN studies will 

focus on three key areas:

• nanocatalysis, the acceleration of chemical 

reactions using nanoparticles

• biological and soft nanomaterials, such 

as polymers and liquid crystals, where 

specialized design will lead to new functions

• nanoelectronic materials, for unprecedented 

control of the electron that will lead to new 

communication and energy control devices

Nanocatalysis

Nanocatalysis uses tiny structures, a few 

billionths of a meter in dimension, to speed 

up chemical reactions essential to modern life. 
Hydrogen Research

Scientists are investigating ways to combine hydrogen research with nanoscience to fi nd innovative solutions to energy problems. To develop 

effi cient hydrogen batteries and fuel cells for 

powering cars, homes, and businesses, materials that can store and release a lot of hydrogen 

are a necessity. Recently, the DOE stated that 

any such materials slated for use by 2015 must 

have certain properties – they must be cheap, 

safe to handle, and have high reactivity rates and 

storage capacities. At Brookhaven, scientists are 

attempting to meet that challenge by studying 

metal hydride compounds, which release hydrogen when reacted with a catalyst. With the DOE 

Metal-containing nanoparticles are indispensable 

ingredients in industrial chemical production and 

energy-related processes.

Fuel cells for powering electric vehicles use bimetallic particles of platinum and ruthenium to 

catalyze the conversion of chemical energy into 

stored electrical energy. These particles are less 

than 100 nanometers in size and make up only 

a few percent of the catalyst’s weight, yet they 

provide the active sites where chemical reactions 

take place. CFN scientists are now developing 

new experimental and theoretical tools to image 

chemical transformations on nanoscale objects.

Biological and soft nanomaterials 

Biological and soft nanomaterials include 

polymers, liquid crystals, and other relatively 

“squishy” materials that fall into a state between 

solid and liquid. Nanoscience has allowed understanding and engineering of soft materials 

properties that mimic those of conventional 

“hard” materials, yet are lighter, cheaper, transparent, and biocompatible.

One focus of soft nanomaterial research is on 

the structure and behavior of soft matter 

deposited onto “nano-patterned” interfaces– 

surfaces that contain features, such as ridges or 

grooves, that are a few to several nanometers 

in dimension. This work will help scientists learn 

and control how materials transfer forces and 

electric charge, and how these properties are 

infl uenced by the surface on which the fi lm 

is grown. Such research may lead to fl exible 

computer or television displays. CFN scientists 

will study liquid crystals, which can self-organize into ordered nanoscale structures. Liquid 

crystals have applications in many areas, such as 

television and computer liquid-crystal displays 

(LCDs) and information storage. 

Electronic nanomaterials 

Research will focus on understanding how 

electric charge and magnetism move and interact within nanomaterials. Nanomaterials 

have characteristics, such as very small one- or 

two-dimensional geometries, that make them 

appropriate for advanced electronic applicaScientists at the CFN will study materials at 

nanoscale dimensions, 1000 times smaller 

than a human hair.
a passion for discovery 15

guidelines in mind, they are looking for materials 

that hold nine percent hydrogen by weight (a 

relatively large amount) and are reusable.

One of the roadblocks toward the practical use 

of hydrogen as fuel is fi nding a hydrogen source 

that doesn’t produce a lot of waste. Natural gas, 

oil, and coal are good sources, but the reaction 

process is very wasteful, producing enough 

carbon monoxide (CO) to eventually “poison” 

the catalyst and stop the reaction entirely. 

Brookhaven scientists are working on new catalysts that would lower the CO poisoning rate, 

allowing the fuel cell to function longer. This research may help lead to practical fuel cells that 

can power cars for days instead of hours.

The energy-effi cient CFN facility will occupy nine 

square acres and house 150 people. The stateof-the-art building is expected to be completed by 

2007, and will attract an estimated 300 researchers from the Northeast annually.

tions. Nanoscale electronic materials research is 

expected to renovate the energy storage and 

distribution network in the U.S., as well as transform the electronics industry, producing circuits 

that are both extremely small and fast. 

At the CFN, scientists will focus on studying 

how electrons transfer between diverse materials. In particular, the properties of carbon 

nanotubes will be studied. Carbon nanotubes 

are cylindrical carbon molecules typically a 

few nanometers wide and up to millions of 

nanometers long. Carbon nanotubes possess 

exceptional electric and structural properties 

for their size, making them attractive for many 

applications. It has been demonstrated by CFN 

scientists that a single nanotube can emit ultraviolet light when a voltage is applied across it, 

creating the world’s fi rst electrically controllable 

light emitter.
Life Sciences

From Molecules and Cells to Medicine and Mother Nature

Research in the life sciences at Brookhaven National Laboratory has a long and distinguished history 

and a promising future, including basic studies on DNA and proteins, molecular and cellular mechanisms, 

sophisticated imaging techniques, and biomedical and environmental applications based on this 

knowledge. Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Offi ce of Science, the National Institutes 

of Health, and other agencies, these studies advance our understanding of the biological processes at 

work within and around us, offering many potential benefi ts to human health and society. 

The language of life

All of the machinery within living cells operates according to the principles and language 

of biochemistry. Therefore, understanding the 

complex interactions of molecules is essential 

to understanding life. 

Many DOE scientists, including researchers at 

Brookhaven, have made enormous advances 

in decoding the “dictionary” of this molecular 

Lab scientists have conducted 

research on carcinogenesis, using a 

fi sh model sensitive to light-induced 

melanoma. These fi sh are the only 

useful model for human melanoma.
a passion for discovery 17

language — the DNA-based genetic code that 

governs the actions of every cell. As part of the 

effort to learn how to read and make sense 

of the language, Brookhaven researchers have 

also developed many methods to produce and 

study the proteins encoded by genes. Proteins 

are the cellular workhorses that carry out the 

genetic instructions and help cells communicate 

with one another. 

One technique developed at the Lab enables 

the production of large quantities of specifi c 

proteins, such as would be needed for largescale research or applications in industry and 

medicine. Another scans the entire genome to 

identify sites where so-called regulator proteins 

bind to turn particular genes on or off — a 

process that establishes the very identity of cells 

and, when gone awry, sometimes triggers 

conditions like cancer. 

Puzzling proteins

To understand how proteins carry out certain 

tasks and look for ways to stop disease-causing 

proteins, Brookhaven scientists are using highintensity x-rays and a cryo-electron microscope 

to decipher these molecules’ three-dimensional 

atomic structures and computational methods 

to understand how they become active. These 

techniques have, for example, helped researchers identify how AIDS and common-cold viruses bind to and infect human cells, and identify 

targets for new vaccines against botulism and 

Lyme disease. 

Structural analysis of the complex proteins 

located within cellular membranes, another 

Brookhaven focus, could lead to more effective 

drug delivery and even ways to use biological 

systems to clean up or otherwise mitigate 

environmental damage. 

Talking about plants

Studies of genes, proteins, and molecular interactions in plants have a host of potential 

real-world applications. For example, in one 

Brookhaven effort, researchers have mixed 

plant-dwelling bacteria with pollutant-digesting 

l

soil-dwellers to yield a new bacterial strain 

that can break down pollutants while living 

in the roots of plants. This approach has 

the potential to greatly increase the ability 

of certain plants to soak up and degrade 

contaminants in soil, a strategy known 

as phytoremediation. Similar efforts may 

improve plants’ ability to soak up carbon 

Brain activity in cocaine 

abusers is greatly reduced 

compared with a control 

subject, even 10 or 100 days 

after the last dose.

Control Cocaine (10 days) Cocaine (100 days)

Courtesy of Creatas Images
dioxide from the atmosphere, 

thereby helping to control the 

greenhouse effect.

Another plant project seeks 

ways to boost production of 

useful plant products (for 

example, plant oils) by using 

genetic methods to “tune up” 

the proteins known as enzymes 

that are responsible for making 

these products. Increasing the 

effi ciency of these enzymes 

or helping them evolve new 

functions could lead to the 

production of more healthful 

plant oils or the use of plants as 

a renewable resource for the 

kinds of industrial raw materials 

we now derive from petroleum.

Translation, please

Translating molecular and cellular knowledge 

to an understanding of more complex life processes, diseases, and even human behavior has 

been a huge challenge. Brookhaven is home to a 

spectrum of sophisticated imaging tools that aim 

to bridge this gap.

For example, positron emission tomography 

(PET) scanning shows neurotransmitter proteins sending signals from brain cell to brain cell, 

and how these vital communication networks 

are affected by drugs of abuse, eating disorders, 

other diseases, and normal aging. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows scientists to visualize 

brain anatomy at high resolution, allowing the 

study of site-specifi c brain function and neurochemistry over time. 

With PET and MRI facilities for studying both 

humans and small animals, Brookhaven researchers can analyze a real-world population, 

and also test hypotheses triggered by those 

human studies — and potential treatments — 

Brookhaven Facilities for 

Life Sciences Research

The National Synchrotron Light Source

generates high intensity x-ray, ultraviolet, and 

infrared light for probing the structures and 

inner workings of biological molecules.

The Center for Translational Neuroimaging

includes two large-scale (human) PET scanners, 

a high-fi eld MRI camera, and smaller-scale 

micro PET, micro MRI, and micro computed 

tomography (CT) scanners for complementary 

small-animal studies.

The Brookhaven Linac Isotope Producer

creates a variety of radioisotopes — radioactive 

forms of ordinary chemical elements — 

that can be used alone or incorporated into 

“radiotracers” for use in nuclear medicine 

research or for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Brookhaven biologists study everything from 

DNA to proteins and other macromolecules.
a passion for discovery 19

The Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope investigates the intricate details of biological beings from bacterial cells to humans.

The Cryo-Electron Microscope offers 

scientists another way to decipher the 

structures of proteins.

The NASA Space Radiation Laboratory

produces beams of radiation similar to those 

that would be encountered by astronauts on 

long-term missions, allowing for cell-culture 

and small-animal studies to help assess risks 

and test protective measures.

in controlled animal models. In an effort to 

eliminate the effects of anesthesia used in many 

animal studies, Brookhaven scientists are even 

developing a “mobile” PET scanner for imaging 

fully alert animals.

Miscommunication

Another important arm of life sciences research investigates how external factors sometimes disrupt the language of life by damaging 

DNA or interfering with cells’ ability to repair 

such damage. A large collaborative effort with 

the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) examines the biological effects 

astronauts might experience as a result of the 

radiation encountered on long-term missions 

to the Moon or Mars. These studies on cell 

and tissue cultures and small animals will help 

assess risks and design preventive measures.

Studies on the effects of radiation may also 

help scientists improve the use of radiation in 

the treatment of diseases like cancer, a prime 

example of normal cellular communication 

A computer-generated model 

of the botulinum toxin.

gone awry. Enhancing radiation treatments 

so that only diseased cells are affected 

while normal cells are spared could increase cancer survival rates and minimize 

debilitating side effects.
Environmental Sciences

Understanding and Protecting Our World

Scientists from a wide variety of disciplines are working to understand and protect our world on 

the global scale by studying global climate change, how to mitigate the impacts of human activity, and 

alternative energy sources — and, in the interests of national security, by working to prevent the spread 

of nuclear weapons and the misuse of radioactive materials. These programs have the common goal of 

maintaining a livable planet with safety and security for all

From the clouds to the earth

Global climate change is one of the most 

pressing and controversial issues facing our 

world today. Brookhaven National Laboratory

scientists from a wide variety of disciplines 

work on aspects of 

this problem ranging 

from forecasting its 

effects to advancing 

technologies that 

may slow or reverse 

its progress.

Atmospheric scientists conduct fi eld studies 

with aircraft and surface measurements to 

examine how aerosol pollutants form, grow, 

and move and their effect on Earth’s energy 

balance and climate. Regional studies in the 

United States have focused on how these pollutants affect climate and air quality as they 

spread from their points of origin into the atmosphere and over the oceans.

Brookhaven scientists also participate in the 

Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) 

program, a key contributor to national and 

scientists from a wide variety of disciplines

world today. Brookhaven National Laboratory

scientists from a wide variety of disciplines

work on aspects of

this problem ranging

from forecasting its

effects to advancing

technologies that

may slow or reverse

its progress.

Researchers and students 

used Brookhaven tracer 

technology to study the 

dispersion of airborne contaminants in New York City. 

At right, one of a variety of 

instruments deployed to 

track the winds.
a passion for discovery 21 e

international research efforts related to global 

climate change. At sites on the U.S. Southern 

Great Plains, the North Slope of Alaska and in 

the Tropical Western Pacifi c, ground-based 

remote sensing instruments take continuous 

fi eld measurements of interactions between 

clouds and radiative feedback processes in 

the atmosphere.

Back on the ground, the Free Air Carbon 

Dioxide (CO2) Enrichment (FACE) program 

provides a technology to modify the microclimate around growing plants to simulate climate 

change conditions at diverse sites across the 

country and around the world. Typically, CO2-

enriched air is released from a circle of vertical 

pipes into large plots of growing plants such as 

wheat and cotton, and stands of pine trees. The 

program provides a window on the future, offering researchers a realistic assessment of longterm responses of intact systems to elevated 

carbon dioxide.

Brookhaven’s Tracer Technology Center uses 

perfl uorocarbon tracers (PFTs) to study a wide 

range of atmospheric processes, indoor air 

quality, identifi cation of gaseous and liquid leak 

pathways, and most recently, the fate and transport of contaminants that might be released in 

complex urban canyon environments.

Environmental research and technology is 

conducted to characterize and remediate 

hazardous, radioactive and mixed wastes – 

from basic science through development and 

deployment of cleanup technologies. Basic 

research focuses on fate and transport of 

contaminants in the environment at the molecular scale using state-of-the-art techniques 

at Brookhaven’s National Synchrotron Light 

Source. Treatment technologies for contaminants such as mercury and decontamination 

technologies for removal of contaminants from 

surfaces and soil have been developed and 

licensed for commercial application. 

Exploring energy alternatives

Brookhaven’s Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN) will be a hub for cutting-edge 

nanoscience studies. Still early in its development, nanoscience has the potential to 

bring about and accelerate new technologies in energy distribution, drug delivery, 

sensors and industrial processes. The 

overarching research goal of the CFN is to 

help solve the U.S.’s energy problems by 

exploring materials that use energy more 

effi ciently and by researching practical alternatives to fossil fuels, such as hydrogenbased energy sources and improved, more 

affordable solar energy systems.

Under that energy banner, CFN studies 

will focus on three key areas: nanocatalysis, 

biological and soft nanomaterials, and nanoelectronic materials. Nanocatalysis uses 

tiny particles, a few billionths of a meter in 

dimension, to speed up chemical reactions 

essential to modern life. Metal-containing 

nanoparticles are essential ingredients in 

industrial chemical production and energyrelated processes. Biological and soft nanomaterials include polymers, liquid crystals, 

Scientists study large plots of growing plants 

exposed to CO2-enriched air to predict future 

effects of elevated carbon dioxide.
and other relatively “squishy” materials that fall 

into a state between solid and liquid. 

Nanoscience has allowed understanding and engineering of soft 

materials properties that mimic 

those of conventional “hard” 

materials, yet are lighter, cheaper, 

transparent and biocompatible. Nanoelectronic materials 

research will focus on understanding how electric charge and 

magnetism move and interact 

within nanomaterials. Nanomaterials have characteristics, such 

as very small one- or two-dimensional geometries, that make 

them appropriate for advanced 

electronic applications. Research 

on nanoscale electronic materials is expected to renovate the 

energy storage and distribution 

network in the U.S. as well as 

transform the electronics industry, producing circuits that are both extremely 

small and fast.

Brookhaven Lab’s energy scientists are also 

working to advance alternative energy technologies, which will offer energy solutions without 

the carbon dioxide-increasing effects of fossil 

fuels. Researchers are examining the potential 

of biodiesel, a biodegradable, nontoxic, renewable fuel made from new or used vegetable 

oils or animal fats. The “biofuel” can be used in 

diesel-powered vehicles, and can also be used 

for home heating in a standard oil-fi red furnace 

or boiler.

Concerns about greenhouse gases and global 

climate change have also revitalized interest in 

nuclear energy technologies. Brookhaven Lab is 

a leader in the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative, 

which will allow for the reprocessing of spent 

nuclear material in reactors instead of burying 

it in a repository. Scientists are fi nding ways to 

recycle the material in ways that will be both 

useful and diffi cult for terrorists and others 

seeking nuclear materials to exploit.

Tracking Radioactive Materials

To support the detection of illicit movement of 

radioactive and nuclear materials, Brookhaven 

maintains and operates the Radiation Detector 

Testing and Evaluation Center (RADTEC) for 

the Department of Homeland Security. This 

set of facilities tests and evaluates commercially 

available and certain laboratory prototype 

radiation detectors for portal monitoring (at 

bridges, tunnels, and other transportation choke 

points) as well as hand-held search detectors. 

In addition, research and development efforts 

are under way to build and test advanced radiation detector systems capable of identifying 

and locating radioactive materials with a single 

detector. Advanced radiation detectors will 

fi nd use at maritime ports, major roadways, and 

waterways, and for searches of buildings and 

vehicles. Brookhaven also works on the international level to develop response plans and 

train authorities to respond to incidents involving radioactive materials.

The Brookhaven-developed fan-atomized oil burner offers 

improved fuel- and air-mixing for better performance.
a passion for discovery 23

Brookhaven Lab also serves many user 

communities with its National Nuclear Data 

Center, which collects, evaluates and disseminates nuclear physics data for basic nuclear 

research and applied nuclear technologies.

Promoting nuclear safety, at home 

and around the world

The Nonproliferation and National Security 

Department at Brookhaven Lab plays a key 

role in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and the misuse of radioactive materials 

through its many programs supported by the 

Department of Energy, the Department of 

Homeland Security, the Department of State, 

and other federal agencies.

The largest program provides funds for 

Brookhaven scientists to collaborate with Russian colleagues to help secure nuclear materials 

through upgrades to special nuclear materials 

accounting, protection, and control systems. 

In addition, Brookhaven plays a major role in 

supporting the conversion and consolidation of 

highly enriched uranium and leads the development and deployment of safeguards operational 

monitoring systems such as CCTV systems 

activated by personnel movement and vault 

access door alarms at Russian nuclear facilities.

Brookhaven conducts research in developing 

international safeguards approaches for critical 

nuclear facilities such as uranium enrichment 

plants. In past work, the Laboratory developed 

innovative concepts such as safeguard seals and 

short-notice random inspections.

The International Safeguards Project Offi ce 

provides technical oversight and management 

of over $15 million per year in technical support and equipment for improving International 

Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards. 

To slow the transfer of weapons knowledge to 

rogue states or terrorist groups, Brookhaven’s 

program has successfully placed scientists from 

the weapons programs of the former Soviet 

Union into non-weapons work supporting 

commercial product development. Brookhaven plays a key role in preventing the spread of 

nuclear weapons and the misuse of radioactive materials.

Advanced radiation detectors are 

both developed and tested at 

Brookhaven for the Department 

of Homeland Security.
Educational Programs

Investing in America’s Future

More than 25,000 elementary and secondary school students and teachers, and several hundred 

college students and faculty members, come to Brookhaven National Laboratory each year for 

programs offering hands-on science and invaluable career experience. This educational outreach is 

just one reason the Lab was honored with the Long Island Workforce Builders’ Award in 2004. 

Brookhaven Lab offers learning opportunities for students of all ages:

• The Science Learning Center, active nearly every day of the year, hosts dozens of schools for 

students to experience hands-on inquiry-based 

science related to Lab research. 

• Thousands more elementary students compete each year in local school science fairs, 

with winners at each grade level entered in the 

Brookhaven National Laboratory Elementary 

School Science Fair. 

• Middle school students compete in the Magnetic Levitation (MagLev) Vehicle Contest, in 

which they design, construct and test a magnetic 

levitation vehicle.

• High school students can participate in 

research experiences, or compete in a regional 

Science Bowl and/or Brookhaven’s Bridge 

Building Competition, in which students design 

and build basswood bridges that must hold 

thousands of times their weight to come out 

winners.

• To help our future workforce transition 

from being students to scientists, the Lab offers 

research internships for undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students and faculty in 

scientifi c fi elds.

One of Brookhaven Laboratory’s educational 

goals is to establish strong collaborations with 

colleges and universities in our region. One 

example is when several dozen students from 

the New York City College of Technology 

and Medgar Evers College participated in the 

March 2005 Urban Dispersion Program in 

New York City, assisting atmospheric researchers studying the movement of tracer gases in 

urban winds. The Laboratory also has ongoing 

collaborations with Hofstra and Stony Brook 

Universities, New York University, and the 

Dowling College Center for Minority Teacher 

Development and Training.

For more information on these programs and others, 

visit www.bnl.gov/scied.

Thousands of students come to Brookhaven each year 

for hands-on science and research experience.
Brookhaven’s Nobel Prizes

2003 Chemistry: For membrane-protein studies beginning in 1998, some at the NSLS, which 

help explain how nerve cells send signals.

2002 Physics: For discovery begun in 1967 

of solar neutrinos, proving that fusion powers 

the sun.

1988 Physics: For the 1962 discovery at the 

AGS of the muon neutrino.

1980 Physics: For the 1963 discovery at the 

AGS of “CP violation,” which helps explain 

why matter predominates over antimatter in 

the universe.

1976 Physics: For the 1974 discovery at the 

AGS of the J/psi particle.

1957 Physics: For a theory known as parity 

conservation.

Science Highlights

Precision measurements of the “spin” of the 

muon differ from theory and may offer new 

in-sight into “new” physics “beyond the 

Standard Model.”

Physicists observe “once-in-a-trillion” predicted 

decay of subatomic kaon — one of the keys 

to understanding the universe’s most elemental forces and building blocks — twice.

Discovery of “left-handedness” of neutrino 

particles.

Mystery of too few solar neutrinos discovered, 

then resolved with discovery that neutrinos 

change type as they journey from sun to Earth.

First use of calculation methods for solving problems in Quantum Chromodynamics 

(QCD), the theory of strong interactions 

among quarks.

Discovery of various subatomic particles: top 

quark, charmed lambda, omega-minus, long 

neutral kaon, sigma-zero, and sigma-minus.

Application of superconducting materials for 

power transmission and magnetically levitated 

trains.

Discovery of and investigations into mechanisms of high-temperature superconductors.

Development of new materials for less toxic 

and longer lasting batteries.

Investigations into more effective ways to 

harness solar energy.

Studies to authenticate artwork and historical 

documents, including oldest playable fl utes and 

map of “New World.”

Development of fuel- and money-saving 

devices for oil burners.

Engineered bacteria capable of digesting 

pollutants and purifying fossil fuels.

Development of asbestos-“digesting” foam 

to mitigate danger while preserving fl ameretardant properties.

Discovery of link between salt and 

hypertension.

First use of L-dopa to treat Parkinson’s disease.

Pioneered use of radiotracer now used in 85 

percent of world’s nuclear medicine procedures, including heart, kidney, lung, liver, spleen, 

and bone scans.

First synthesis of human insulin.

Developed radiotracer now used in heart 

stress tests around the world.

Investigations of new methods for treating 

cancers and cancer-related pain.

Uncovered relationship between sun’s 

ultraviolet (UV) rays and cancer — and 

usefulness of sunscreen.

Developed foremost PET radiotracer used 

to diagnose cancer, brain disease, psychiatric 

illness, and heart disease.

Investigations of promising treatment for 

addiction.

The Historical Perspective

Snapshots of Past Brookhaven Discoveries