For decades, Earth’s atmosphere has blurred images of both stars and galaxies, greatly restricting our ability to see the universe clearly from the ground.

But that all changed with the invention of the laser guide star.

Think of it as building an artificial star in the sky—one that helps telescopes correct atmospheric distortion in real time. It’s a technology that revolutionized ground-based astronomy, enabling discoveries from distant black holes to the discovery of planets around nearby stars.

But how do you go from a concept that once filled a building with laser equipment to something compact, reliable, and safe enough for observatories around the world?

And what role did scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory play in making that technological leap possible?

Tune in to hear the story behind one of astronomy’s most transformative innovations and the team that helped bring it to light.

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Big Ideas Lab is a Mission.org original series. 

Executive Produced by Levi Hanusch.

Sound Design, Music Edit and Mix by Daniel Brunelle. 

Story Editing by Daniel Brunelle. 

Audio Engineering and Editing by Matthew Powell. 

Written by Caroline Kidd.

Narrated by Matthew Powell. 

Video Production by Levi Hanusch.

Guests featured in this episode (in order of appearance): 

• Claire Max,  Emeritus Professor of Astronomy at UC Santa Cruz and Director of the University of California Observatories
• Deanna Pennington, Senior Scientist with the Global Security Directory, LLNL

Brought to you in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

What’s it really like to intern at one of the nation’s premier science and national security labs? In this episode of The Big Ideas Lab, we follow the journey from first-day nerves to high-impact research at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Featuring stories from fusion diagnostics to bioengineering breakthroughs, we hear from interns and mentors about the challenges, the discoveries - and the culture that makes it all possible.
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Big Ideas Lab is a Mission.org original series. 

Executive Produced by Levi Hanusch.

Sound Design, Music Edit and Mix by Daniel Brunelle. 

Story Editing by Daniel Brunelle. 

Audio Engineering and Editing by Matthew Powell. 

Narrated by Matthew Powell. 

Video Production by Levi Hanusch. 

Guests featured in this episode (in order of appearance): 

• Jarrod Farmer, Scholar Program Manager, LLNL
• Jaya Sicard, Graduate Appointee, LLNL, and former Livermore Lab Foundation Fellow
• Monica Moya, Group Leader of Bioengineering and Advanced Fabrication, LLNL

Brought to you in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

The modern world is an onslaught of threats – from biological and radioactive to nuclear and chemical. At the Forensic Science Center at the Lawrence Livermore National Lab, chemists are working night and day to prevent the next catastrophe. 

In this episode, we’ll dive deeper into the world of Forensics and how its study can impact not only the quality of life – but the safety of every American.

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Big Ideas Lab is a Mission.org original series. 

Executive Produced by Levi Hanusch.

Sound Design, Music Edit and Mix by Daniel Brunelle. 

Story Editing by Daniel Brunelle. 

Audio Engineering and Editing by Matthew Powell. 

Narrated by Matthew Powell. 

Video Production by Levi Hanusch. 

Guests featured in this episode (in order of appearance): 

• Audrey Williams, Director of the FSC, LLNL
• Carlos Valdes, Lead Chemist, LLNL

Brought to you in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

A mysterious package. A silent explosion. And a phone call that would change the course of forensic science forever. 

In this gripping first part of our series, we trace the origins of the Forensic Science Center at Lawrence Livermore National Lab through a decades-spanning investigation that began with the Unabomber and grew into a global hub for solving the most complex scientific mysteries. From moon rocks to murder cases, drug overdoses to nuclear smuggling, meet the scientists who turn microscopic clues into courtroom evidence. 

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Big Ideas Lab is a Mission.org original series. 

Executive Produced by Levi Hanusch.

Sound Design, Music Edit and Mix by Daniel Brunelle. 

Story Editing by Daniel Brunelle. 

Audio Engineering and Editing by Matthew Powell. 

Narrated by Matthew Powell. 

Video Production by Levi Hanusch. 

Guests featured in this episode (in order of appearance): 

• Brian Andresen, Founder and Former Director, Forensic Science Center, LLNL
• Armando Alcarez, International Programs Lead, Forensic Science Center, LLNL

Brought to you in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

At Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, engineers and scientists are reimagining the way critical components for the U.S. nuclear stockpile are designed, tested, and produced. In this episode, we explore the Polymer Enclave - a groundbreaking collaboration with the Kansas City National Security Campus that has slashed production timelines from years to months. 

Discover how this partnership is transforming national security manufacturing through rapid innovation, real-time collaboration, and a culture shift that’s changing the future of defense technology.

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Big Ideas Lab is a Mission.org original series. 

Executive Produced by Levi Hanusch.

Sound Design, Music Edit and Mix by Daniel Brunelle. 

Story Editing by Daniel Brunelle. 

Audio Engineering and Editing by Matthew Powell. 

Narrated by Matthew Powell. 

Video Production by Levi Hanusch. 

Guests featured in this episode (in order of appearance): 

•  Robert Maxwell, Program Director, Manufacturing and Materials Transformation, LLNL
• Jessica Bailey, Director of Advanced Manufacturing Engineering, Kansas City National Security Campus

Brought to you in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

What if scientists could use the peculiar world of quantum mechanics to design solutions once thought impossible - changing how we build, heal, and communicate?

At Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, researchers are developing quantum systems that could help us do just that. These machines think differently, tapping into the strange rules of quantum mechanics to simulate atomic interactions, unlock new materials, and reveal hidden patterns in nature. In this episode, we’ll explore how quantum computers work, why they need to be colder than deep space, and what it will take to bring their full potential to life.

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Big Ideas Lab is a Mission.org original series. 

Executive Produced by Levi Hanusch.

Sound Design, Music Edit and Mix by Daniel Brunelle. 

Story Editing by Daniel Brunelle. 

Audio Engineering and Editing by Matthew Powell. 

Narrated by Matthew Powell. 

Video Production by Levi Hanusch. 

Guests featured in this episode (in order of appearance): 

• Yaniv Rosen, Group Leader for the Quantum Coherent Device Physics Group, LLNL
• Kristi Beck, Director, Livermore Center for Quantum Science

Brought to you in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Artificial intelligence is transforming how science is conducted at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. From accelerating drug discovery to optimizing complex experiments, AI is helping researchers work faster, smarter and with greater precision. Today we’ll explore how scientists are using Cognitive Simulation - an AI-driven approach that combines physics, data, and machine learning - to model the real world.

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Big Ideas Lab is a Mission.org original series. 

Executive Produced by Levi Hanusch and Lacey Peace.

Sound Design, Music Edit and Mix by Daniel Brunelle. 

Story Editing by Daniel Brunelle. 

Audio Engineering and Editing by Matthew Powell. 

Narrated by Matthew Powell. 

Video Production by Levi Hanusch. 

Guests featured in this episode (in order of appearance): 

• Brian Spears, Director of the AI Innovation Incubator, LLNL
• Kelli Humbird, Group Leader, Computational Physics, LLNL

Brought to you in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

From fusion experiments to cancer-fighting tech, the Jupiter Laser Facility is where bold ideas meet billion-watt lasers. In this episode, we go inside the lab where students and scientists alike get hands-on with some of the most powerful laser systems on Earth - turning science fiction into real-world breakthroughs, one laser shot at a time.

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Big Ideas Lab is a Mission.org original series. 

Executive Produced by Levi Hanusch and Lacey Peace.

Sound Design, Music Edit and Mix by Daniel Brunelle. 

Story Editing by Daniel Brunelle. 

Audio Engineering and Editing by Matthew Powell. 

Narrated by Matthew Powell. 

Video Production by Levi Hanusch. 

Guests featured in this episode (in order of appearance): 

• Félicie Albert, Director, Jupiter Laser Facility
• Elizabeth "Liz" Grace, High Energy Density Science Center Fellow, LLNL

Brought to you in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Big Ideas Lab is taking a quick spring break, but the story is far from over. We're continuing to uncover the untold breakthroughs and hidden histories of Lawrence Livermore National Lab. Stay tuned — there’s so much more ahead!

Before a laser fires or a rocket launches, machinists make the mission possible. This episode explores the world of machining at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory—where skilled craftspeople transform raw materials into components for fusion research, national security, and space exploration. From time-tested manual tools to advanced digital manufacturing, machinists at the Lab combine traditional craftsmanship with modern technology to solve some of the most complex engineering challenges on Earth.

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Big Ideas Lab is a Mission.org original series. 

Executive Produced by Levi Hanusch and Lacey Peace.

Sound Design, Music Edit and Mix by Daniel Brunelle. 

Story Editing by Daniel Brunelle. 

Audio Engineering and Editing by Matthew Powell. 

Narrated by Matthew Powell. 

Video Production by Levi Hanusch. 

Guests featured in this episode (in order of appearance): 

• Drew Hash - Apprentice Machinist, LLNL
• Dawn Hill - Senior Machinist, LLNL

Brought to you in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.