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class="current" >Our Story</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/impact/" >Impact</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/about/history/" class="current" >History</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/about/organization/" >Organization Chart</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/about/leadership/" >Leadership</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/about/university-of-california/" >University of California</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="https://newscenter.lbl.gov/" >News</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://careers.lbl.gov/" >Careers</a> </li> </ul> </nav> <div slot="search"> <lbl-search-form placeholder-text="Search the Lab" search-url="https://search.lbl.gov/" search-query-parameter="q" slot="search" > </lbl-search-form> </div> <nav slot="main-nav" aria-label="Main Nav"> <ul> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/research/" >Research</a> <lbl-mega-menu layout="research"> <div class="mega-menu__cols mega-menu__cols--four" slot="mega-menu-cols"> <div class="mega-menu__col"> <p>Our research focuses on discovery science and solutions for abundant and reliable energy supplies.</p> <ul> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/research/" >Research Overview</a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="mega-menu__col"> <h3>Discovery Science</h3> <ul> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/research/ai/" >Artificial Intelligence</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/research/accelerator-technologies/" >Accelerator Technologies</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/research/cosmic-frontiers/" >Cosmic Frontiers</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/research/frontier-computing-sciences/" >Frontier Computing Sciences</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/research/materials-and-chemical-sciences/" >Materials and Chemical Sciences</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/research/microelectronics-and-beyond/" >Microelectronics and Beyond</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/research/mysteries-of-matter/" >Mysteries of Matter</a> 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</div> <div class="mega-menu__col"> <h3>Earth Systems</h3> <ul> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/research/clean-affordable-water/" >Clean and Affordable Water</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/research/climate/" >Climate Science</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/research/earth-ecological-systems/" >Earth and Ecological Systems</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/research/human-health/" >Human Health</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/research/microbes-to-ecosystems/" >Microbes to Ecosystems</a> </li> </ul> <h3>Future Science</h3> <ul> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/research/emerging-capabilities/" >Emerging Capabilities</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/research/emerging-ideas/" >Emerging Ideas</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/research/scientists-of-tomorrow/" >Scientists of Tomorrow</a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <lbl-pattern slot="pattern" theme="mega-menu"></lbl-pattern> </lbl-mega-menu> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/capabilities/" >Capabilities</a> <lbl-mega-menu layout="capabilities"> <div class="mega-menu__cols mega-menu__cols--two" slot="mega-menu-cols"> <div class="mega-menu__col"> <figure class="mega-menu__photo"> <img width="890" height="654" src="https://www.lbl.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Capabilities-Landing_CTA-Module_XBD202005-00089_043-scaled-e1656360607893.jpg" class="attachment-lbl-components-md size-lbl-components-md" alt="Details of various pieces of lab equipment at the at the Metabolomics lab." decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" /> </figure> </div> <div class="mega-menu__col"> <p>Team science led by top researchers using one-of-a-kind facilities.</p> <ul> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/capabilities/" >Capabilities Overview</a> </li> </ul> <hr> <div class="mega-menu__cols mega-menu__cols--two"> <div class="mega-menu__col"> <h3>DOE National User Facilities</h3> <ul> <li> <a href="https://als.lbl.gov/" >Advanced Light Source</a> </li> <li> <a 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Overview</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/engage/access-our-facilities/" >Access Our Facilities</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/engage/partner-with-us/" >Partner With Us</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/engage/accelerate-your-career/" >Accelerate Your Career</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/engage/community/" >Community</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/engage/explore-educational-opportunities/" >Educational Opportunities</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/engage/visit-and-connect/" >Visit and Connect</a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <lbl-pattern slot="pattern" theme="mega-menu"></lbl-pattern> </lbl-mega-menu> </li> </ul> </nav> <nav slot="condensed-utility-nav" aria-label="Condensed Utility Nav"> <ul> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/about/" class="current" >About</a> <ul> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/about/" class="current" >Our Story</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/impact/" >Impact</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/about/history/" class="current" >History</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/about/organization/" >Organization Chart</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/about/leadership/" >Leadership</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/about/university-of-california/" >University of California</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="https://newscenter.lbl.gov/" >News</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://careers.lbl.gov/" >Careers</a> </li> </ul> </nav> <nav slot="condensed-main-nav" aria-label="Condensed Main Nav"> <ul> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/research/" >Research</a> <ul> <span>Discovery Science</span> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/research/ai/" >Artificial Intelligence</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/research/accelerator-technologies/" >Accelerator Technologies</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/research/cosmic-frontiers/" >Cosmic Frontiers</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/research/frontier-computing-sciences/" 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href="https://eta.lbl.gov/" >Energy Technologies</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://physicalsciences.lbl.gov/" >Physical Sciences</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/people/" >People</a> <ul> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/people/" >People Overview</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/people/excellence/" >Excellence</a> <ul> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/people/excellence/nobelists/" >Nobel Prize</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/people/excellence/national-medal/" >National Medals</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/people/our-community-of-support/" >Our Community of Support</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/people/stewardship/" >Stewardship</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/engage/" >Engage</a> <ul> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/engage/" >Engage Overview</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/engage/access-our-facilities/" >Access Our Facilities</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/engage/partner-with-us/" >Partner With Us</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/engage/accelerate-your-career/" >Accelerate Your Career</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/engage/community/" >Community</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/engage/explore-educational-opportunities/" >Educational Opportunities</a> </li> <li> <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/engage/visit-and-connect/" >Visit and Connect</a> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> </nav> </lbl-header> <div id="page" class="hfeed site container"> <div id="content" class="site-content"> <div id="primary" class="content-area"> <main id="main" class="site-main"> <div id="post-wrap"> <lbl-hero-basic title="A Legacy of Excellence" summary="Scientific excellence and an unparalleled record of achievement have been the hallmarks of our Lab since its founding in 1931 by Ernest O. Lawrence. Explore our storied history below." layout="basic-full-image" > <lbl-breadcrumbs slot="utility" text="<ul><li><a href="https://www.lbl.gov/about/">About</a></li><li><span>History</span></li></ul>" > </lbl-breadcrumbs> <lbl-pattern slot="pattern" theme="research-hero" > </lbl-pattern> </lbl-hero-basic>  <article id="post-61" class="post-61 page type-page status-publish hentry" aria-label="History"> <div class="post-content"> <div class="entry-content"> <lbl-container theme="white" > <lbl-pattern slot="pattern" theme="quote-block" > </lbl-pattern> <lbl-quote-block text="Lawrence will always be remembered as the inventor of the cyclotron, but more importantly, he should be remembered as the inventor of the modern way of doing science." name=" Luis Alvarez" description="Winner of the 1968 Nobel Prize for Physics " > <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="330" height="330" src="https://www.lbl.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/National-Medal_Luis-Alvarez_XBD201704-00056-019-1.jpg" class="attachment-lbl-components-sm size-lbl-components-sm" alt="Black and white portrait of Luis Alvarez, a short-haired person smiling in a suit and tie." slot="media" /> </lbl-quote-block> </lbl-container> <div class="wp-block-group"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow"> <lbl-container theme="teal" wrapper-size="sm" > <lbl-cta-text title="90 Breakthroughs" columns="1" > <lbl-rich-text slot="rich-text" > <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Berkeley Lab鈥檚</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> nine-plus decades </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">of transforming discovery science into solutions have resulted in hundreds of breakthroughs. These top 90 achieveme</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">nts offe</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">r a glimpse of some of the many discoveries developed at Berkeley Lab.</span></p> </lbl-rich-text> <lbl-button slot="cta" text="Explore 90 breakthroughs" link-target="" link-url="https://berkeleylabnext90.lbl.gov/celebrate-the-past/90-breakthroughs/" type="inline-go" > </lbl-button> </lbl-cta-text> <lbl-pattern slot="pattern" theme="text-cta" > </lbl-pattern> </lbl-container> </div></div> <lbl-container wrapper-size="sm" theme="white" > <lbl-rich-text> <h2>Timeline</h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Six of the 16 Nobel Prizes received by Berkeley Lab scientists have been in the 21st century, including three in physics, two in chemistry, and one Nobel Peace Prize. This continues an unmatched record of achievement that began in the 1930s. A look through the ensuing decades shows how the Lab鈥檚 history yielded a bounty of knowledge that helped steer the course of scientific history and produced the advances in technology on which we depend today.</span></p> </lbl-rich-text> </lbl-container> <iframe title="Timeline of Berkeley Lab history" loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.knightlab.com/libs/timeline3/latest/embed/index.html?source=1Ad56SZlmFJyfcbNUvtYuxqEt1vWDA0KjPsQiU0HXOOg&font=Default&lang=en&initial_zoom=2&height=650" width="100%" height="650" frameborder="0"></iframe> <lbl-container theme="white" wrapper-size="sm" > <lbl-divider></lbl-divider> </lbl-container> <lbl-container theme="white" wrapper-size="sm" > <lbl-video caption="" credit="" title="Berkeley Lab: What鈥檚 in a Name?" schema='{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "VideoObject", "description": "The Lawrence Lab? The Berkeley Lab? The Rad Lab? Nope. We're Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, or Berkeley Lab for short. From a two-story, wooden building on the UC Berkeley campus to a billion-dollar institution, a lot has changed since our humble beginnings. Here鈥檚 our 90 years of history in less than three minutes to help you get it right.", "duration": "", "uploaddate": "", "name": "Berkeley Lab: What鈥檚 in a Name?", "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Berkeley Lab", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://player.vimeo.com/video/511835154" } }, "thumbnailUrl": "" }' > <iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/511835154" title="Berkeley Lab: What鈥檚 in a Name?" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen ></iframe> <lbl-rich-text slot="rich-text" > <p>The Lawrence Lab? The Berkeley Lab? The Rad Lab? Nope. We’re Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, or Berkeley Lab for short. From a two-story, wooden building on the UC Berkeley campus to a billion-dollar institution, a lot has changed since our humble beginnings. Here鈥檚 our 90 years of history in less than three minutes to help you get it right.</p> </lbl-rich-text> </lbl-video> </lbl-container> <lbl-container theme="white" wrapper-size="sm" > <lbl-divider></lbl-divider> </lbl-container> <lbl-container no-overflow theme="white" > <lbl-cta-image-text img-size="normal" layout="right" title="Legends" link-url="https://www.lbl.gov/about/history/legends/" link-target="" > <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="786" height="590" src="https://www.lbl.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/XBD200012-01766-1-e1658789351441.jpeg" class="attachment-lbl-components-md size-lbl-components-md" alt="Black and white portrait of James (Jim) Harris sitting behind his desk." slot="media" /> <lbl-rich-text slot="rich-text" > <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Berkeley Lab is legendary for its Nobel Prize-winning scientific discoveries, but only a fraction of our people ever become laureates. The Lab鈥檚 history has been written by a great many individuals, both scientists and non-scientists. Many succeeded despite obstacles. We honor their achievements.</span></p> </lbl-rich-text> <lbl-button slot="btn" text="Explore Legends" link-target="" link-url="https://www.lbl.gov/about/history/legends/" type="inline-go" > </lbl-button> </lbl-cta-image-text> <lbl-pattern slot="pattern" theme="image-text-cta" > </lbl-pattern> </lbl-container> <div class="wp-block-group"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow"> <lbl-container theme="yellow" wrapper-size="sm" > <lbl-cta-text title="Then and Now" columns="1" > <lbl-rich-text slot="rich-text" > <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Take a journey with us in this Then and Now feature, where we reflec</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">t on t</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">he Lab鈥檚 past and present progress through a series of interactive images, overlaying historic and modern photos taken from the same vantage points at Berkeley Lab.</span></p> </lbl-rich-text> <lbl-button slot="cta" text="Explore Then and Now" link-target="" link-url="https://history.lbl.gov/then-and-now/" type="inline-go" > </lbl-button> </lbl-cta-text> <lbl-pattern slot="pattern" theme="text-cta" > </lbl-pattern> </lbl-container> </div></div> </div> </div> </article> </div> </main> </div> </div> </div> <lbl-bottom-footer></lbl-bottom-footer>  <script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src= 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); })(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-M544LVV');</script>  <script type="text/javascript" src="https://www.lbl.gov/wp-content/themes/lbl-theme/dist/bundle.js?ver=4.0.0" id="lbl-theme-script-js"></script> </div> </body> </html>