Building on 70+Years of Excellence

A sampling of more than 70 years of Berkeley Lab’s storied history in computer science, computational science, data science, and mathematics is captured in this timeline, a legacy that predates the Department of Energy’s inception. Beginning in the 1950s and 60s, our researchers developed novel computational science techniques that led to the discovery of new particles in Luis Alvarez’s “Bubble Chamber.” They developed mathematical methods that have led to better aircraft and combustion designs, semiconductor processing, and medical imaging, among other breakthroughs. And did you know that one of the world’s first video-conferencing and live-streaming applications – the Multicast Backbone (MBONE) – was invented by Lab researchers in the 1990s? Explore our interactive timeline (also available in full-screen view) for more.

Viewing Tips

• Scroll through the timeline by dragging the date slider (at bottom) left or right.
• Select stories to read more and to view additional images, videos, and other media.
• Toggle between 3D and 2D views using the button at the bottom left of the timeline screen.
• Get additional viewing options, including search and filtered views, using the wrench on the bottom right of the timeline.
• To view a larger version: Open in full-screen mode.