Big Ideas Lab

Scientists are simulating cyber attacks and system failures on real-world energy infrastructure - without ever putting the actual grid at risk.

This is Skyfall at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

From real-world incidents like the Ukraine power grid cyberattack 2015 to cascading failures across interconnected systems, this episode explores how cyber-physical incidents can disrupt critical infrastructure in the United States - and how scientists at Skyfall are working to understand and prepare for them. Researchers are using simulation, AI and new approaches like the immune infrastructure framework to understand those risks - and design systems that can adapt and recover when things go wrong.

Guests featured (in order of appearance):

Nate Gleason - Cyber and Infrastructure Resilience (CIR) Program Lead, LLNL

Vaibhav Donde - Associate Program Lead, CIR, LLNL

Colin Ponce - Computer Scientist, CIR, LLNL

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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 Matthew Powell.

Story Editing by Levi Hanusch.

Audio Engineering and Editing by Matthew Powell.

Narrated by Matthew Powell.

Video Production by Levi Hanusch.

Brought to you in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In a remote corner of the Nevada desert, scientists at JASPER study one of the most consequential materials on Earth: plutonium. This is the story of how a bold experimental concept became a trusted national asset. By utilizing a two-stage gas gun, researchers create extreme conditions for less than a microsecond, generating the precise data that helps to validate and strengthen U.S. science-based stockpile stewardship. The work demands extraordinary precision, complete containment, and an unwavering focus on national security.

Guests featured (in order of appearance):

David Bober - JASPER Team Lead, LLNL

Ricky Chau - JASPER Execution Lead, LLNL

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Big Ideas Lab is a Mission.org original series.

Executive Produced by Levi Hanusch.

Script by Caroline Kidd.

Sound Design, Music Edit and Mix by Matthew Powell.

Story Editing by Levi Hanusch.

Audio Engineering and Editing by Matthew Powell.

Narrated by Matthew Powell.

Video Production by Levi Hanusch.

Brought to you in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

From corrosion-resistant coatings to next-generation batteries and stronger wind turbines, some of today’s toughest industrial challenges share a surprising common thread: they’re being solved inside a computer. In this episode, we explore the High Performance Computing for Energy Innovation program. This collaboration between U.S. national laboratories and private industry uses advanced supercomputing to tackle real-world problems in manufacturing, energy, and materials science. With nearly 200 projects across 12 Department of Energy labs, the program is helping companies reduce energy use, cut carbon emissions, and strengthen American manufacturing by tackling complex industrial challenges with computational science.

Guests featured (in order of appearance):

Brandon Wood, Project Lead, LLNL

Aaron Fisher, HPC4EI Director, LLNL

Yeping Hu, Project Lead, LLNL

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Big Ideas Lab is a Mission.org original series.

Executive Produced by Levi Hanusch.

Script by Caroline Kidd.

Sound Design, Music Edit and Mix by Matthew Powell.

Story Editing by Levi Hanusch.

Audio Engineering and Editing by Matthew Powell.

Narrated by Matthew Powell.

Video Production by Levi Hanusch.

Brought to you in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Behind every safeguard of national security lies a world few ever see. Inside Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, scientists and engineers are redefining how explosions are developed, modeled, and tested to ensure the United States maintains a safe, secure, and reliable deterrent. From molecule-level physics to exascale computing systems, the Energetic Materials Center is the hub of subject matter expertise in explosive science at LLNL. EMC is partnering in global scientific collaborations aimed at reducing risk, advancing security, and shaping the future of deterrence in a rapidly changing world.

Guests featured (in order of appearance):

Lara Leininger, Director of Energetic Materials Center, LLNL

Alex Gash, Deputy Director of Energetic Materials Center, LLNL

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Big Ideas Lab is a Mission.org original series.

Executive Produced by Levi Hanusch.

Script by Caroline Kidd.

Sound Design, Music Edit and Mix by Matthew Powell.

Story Editing by Levi Hanusch.

Audio Engineering and Editing by Matthew Powell.

Narrated by Matthew Powell.

Video Production by Levi Hanusch.

Brought to you in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

At the center of every experiment at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s National Ignition Facility is a target - a tiny, precisely engineered object built to withstand the intensity of the world’s highest energy laser system. Join us as we explore target fabrication: the craft behind capsules made of diamond, their intricate assemblies, and cross continental journeys that make fusion experiments possible. 

Guests featured (in order of appearance):

Michael Stadermann, Target Fabrication Program Manager, LLNL

Jared Hund,  LLNL Contract Manager at General Atomics

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Big Ideas Lab is a Mission.org original series.

Executive Produced by Levi Hanusch.

Script by Dara Bates.

Sound Design, Music Edit and Mix by Matthew Powell.

Story Editing by Levi Hanusch.

Audio Engineering and Editing by Matthew Powell.

Narrated by Matthew Powell.

Video Production by Levi Hanusch.

Brought to you in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.