Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
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
Spotify: livermorelab.info/4d1YCJ3
Apple: livermorelab.info/4cQqrE5
--
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.
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
Spotify: livermorelab.info/4d1YCJ3
Apple: livermorelab.info/4cQqrE5
--
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.
