Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
At Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s National Ignition Facility, scientists recreate the most extreme conditions in the universe. Through the Discovery Science Program, researchers and students from around the world gain rare access to this machine to run experiments that exist for only a fraction of a second, yet reshape what we know about stars, planets, and matter itself. These experiments don’t just explore the cosmos; they create a shared laboratory for discovery and the training ground for the next generation of scientists who will evaluate the safety, security and effectiveness of our nation’s nuclear deterrence.
Guests featured (in order of appearance):
Dan Kalantar, Chief Systems Engineer for Experimental Systems at NIF, LLNL
Tilo Doeppner, Experimental Physicist at NIF, LLNL
Apple: livermorelab.info/3O7dHiq
Spotify: livermorelab.info/46cxIdD
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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 Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s National Ignition Facility, scientists recreate the most extreme conditions in the universe. Through the Discovery Science Program, researchers and students from around the world gain rare access to this machine to run experiments that exist for only a fraction of a second, yet reshape what we know about stars, planets, and matter itself. These experiments don’t just explore the cosmos; they create a shared laboratory for discovery and the training ground for the next generation of scientists who will evaluate the safety, security and effectiveness of our nation’s nuclear deterrence.
Guests featured (in order of appearance):
Dan Kalantar, Chief Systems Engineer for Experimental Systems at NIF, LLNL
Tilo Doeppner, Experimental Physicist at NIF, LLNL
Apple: livermorelab.info/3O7dHiq
Spotify: livermorelab.info/46cxIdD
--
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.
