>>> PRODUCTION FUNDING FOR "QED WITH DR. B" IS PROVIDED BY -- >> OUR FOUNDER BELIEVED IN BUILDING AN INSTITUTE THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BETTER SOCIETY THROUGH THE USE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.

THIS YEAR WE'RE GOING TO HIT A GOAL OF A MILLION STUDENTS A YEAR THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO IMPACT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

>> BOUNDLESS ENERGY FOR BRIGHTER FUTURES.

AND BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> WELCOME TO "QED WITH DR.

B."

LET'S TALK ABOUT SCIENCE.

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>> TODAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FUTURE OF ENERGY.

RESEARCHERS SPEND A LOT OF TIME, MONEY AND EFFORT TO STUDY RELIABLE AND EFFICIENT ENERGY SOURCES.

>> AS THE U.S. GOVERNMENT FUNDS A TON OF DIFFERENT AROUND ENERGY, BUT THEY DO RESEARCH THEMSELVES.

WE WENT TO TENNESSEE TO SEE SOME GROUND BREAKING ENERGY RESEARCH.

>> WELL, LATER IN THE SHOW, WE'LL LOOK INTO THE FUTURE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY, THE USE OF BIO FUELS AND EVEN HOW SUPER COMPUTERS CAN HELP US FIND NEW ENERGY MATERIALS.

FIRST, DR. B, YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THE DIRECTOR.

>> I SPOKE WITH DR. THOMAS ZACHARIA TO DISCOVER REALLY COOL GROUND BREAKING RESEARCH THEY'RE DOING THERE.

DR. THOMAS ZACHARIA, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON "QED WITH DR.

B."

>> THANK YOU.

IT IS SUCH A PLEASURE.

>> WHAT IS A NATIONAL LABORATORY AND HOW MUCH DO WE HAVE IN THE COUNTRY?

>> THERE ARE 17 NATIONAL LABORATORIES.

IT IS A SYSTEM OF SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION AND RESEARCH THAT IS UNPARALLELED IN THE WORLD.

WE WORK CLOSELY TOGETHER.

WE HAVE BOTH COMPLIMENTARY STRENGTHS, AS WELL AS GREAT PARTNERSHIP.

>> HOW HAS RESEARCH AT OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY TRANSFORMING RESEARCH MANAGEMENT?

>> IT IS A LABORATORY WHERE WE TAKE FUNDAMENTAL TIME AND TRANSLATE INTO SOLUTIONS.

WE WORK ON BIOLOGY.

WE WORK ON NATIONAL SECURITY, CYBER SECURITY, COMPUTER SCIENCE.

WE HAVE AMAZING FACILITIES.

BUT IT IS REALLY THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE IT ALL WORK.

WE ARE HOME TO 6,000 EMPLOYEES OF ALL WALKS OF LIFE WITH DIFFERENT EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCES.

THE REAL STRENGTH OF A NATIONAL LABORATORY IS THAT WE WORK AS LARGE TEAMS, TACKLING BIG, COMPELLING PROBLEMS.

IF I WERE TO THINK ABOUT TODAY, THE MOST COMPELLING PROBLEMS THAT FACE HUMANITY IS ENERGY TRANSITION AND CLIMATE CHANGE.

ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO DO REQUIRES ENERGY.

IT'S REALLY THE LIFE BLOOD OF MODERN SOCIETY.

WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE U.S. CITIZENS AND, IN SO DOING, CREATE COMPANIES THAT ARE COMPETITIVE GLOBALLY IN SERVING ENERGY, BUT DO IT IN A WAY THAT IS CARBON NEUTRAL, THAT MINIMIZES GLOBAL WARMING AND CLIMATE CHANGE.

>> AFTER LISTENING TO DR. THOMAS ZACHARIA, I'M EXCITED TO EXPLORE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ENERGY THEY'RE STUDYING AT OAK RIDGE.

IN OUR FIRST SEGMENT, YOU GOT TO SPEAK WITH A SCIENTIST STUDYING NUCLEAR FUSION.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

TODAY MOST NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS WORK ON SOMETHING CALLED FISSION.

IT IS WHEN A LARGE ATOMIC NUCLEI SPLITS.

BUT THE FUSION IS THE COMING TOGETHER OF NUCLEI.

IT IS BOTH SAFER AND MORE POWERFUL.

FOR MORE ON THAT, I SPOKE WITH DR. MICKEY WADE, THE DIRECTOR OF THE FUSION ENERGY DIVISION AT ORNL.

DR. WADE, SO GOOD TO MEET YOU.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.

HOW ARE YOU DOING?

>> ARE YOU GOING TO SHOW ME GOOD STUFF?

>> I AM.

WE WILL GO BACK TO THE LAB HERE.

I'VE GOT SOME GLASSES HERE.

I'VE GOT TO BE SAFE.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> MAKE OUR WAY.

>> SO WE'RE HERE AT OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABS WHERE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IS TRYING TO ANSWER SOME OF THE GREATEST QUESTIONS IN THE WORLD.

SPECIFICALLY, WE'RE HERE TALKING ABOUT ENERGY.

HOW HAS OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY TRANSFORMED OUR UNDERSTANDING OF RESEARCH AND THE FUTURE AROUND ENERGY?

>> YOU'RE LOOKING AT FUTURE WAYS OF DOING ENERGY.

WE'RE DOING BATTERY RESEARCH, BIO FUEL RESEARCH.

A WHOLE DIVISION TO HOW TO DO NUCLEAR ENERGY BETTER.

MY DIVISION IS FUSION ENERGY WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE THE ENERGY OF THE SUN, STARS TO CONVERT INTO ENERGY.

>> WHAT IS FUSION?

>> FUSION IS A NUCLEAR PROCESS IN WHICH SMALL ATOMS COME TOGETHER AND MAKE A LARGER ATOMS.

WHEN YOU DO THAT, YOU RELEASE A LOT OF ENERGY.

YOU RELEASE A MILLION TIMES AS MUCH AS YOU DO WHEN YOU ARE BURNING A PIECE OF WOOD.

SO YOU HAVE A SOURCE OF THE ENERGY THAT'S ENORMOUS.

THIS IS HOW THE STARS, THE SUN, ALL OF THOSE WERE FORMED, WAS THROUGH THIS NUCLEAR FUSION PROCESS.

WE'RE JUST TRYING TO CAPTURE THAT HERE ON EARTH AND MAKE ELECTRICITY OUT OF IT.

>> LET'S UNPACK THAT.

SCIENCE IS TO HARD TO DEVELOP THAT.

>> THIS PROCESS ONLY OCCURS WHEN YOU GET THE ATOMS THROUGH A VERY, VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE LIKE THE SUN.

SO WE HAVE TO RECREATE THAT ENVIRONMENT HERE ON EARTH.

WE CAN'T JUST PUT IT IN A VESSEL AND, SAY, HEAT IT UP WITH A MICROWAVE.

WE HAVE TO CREATE PLASMA.

PLASMA IS WHERE YOU TAKE A GAS AND HEAT IT UP TO REALLY HIGH TEMPERATURES.

THE ELECTRONS PULL OFF THE ATOMS.

SO YOU GET THIS GAS OF IONS AND ELECTRONS.

AND IT HAS THIS INTERESTING PROPERTY THAT THEY FOLLOW MAGNETIC FIELD LINES.

SO IF WE CREATE A MAGNETIC BOTTLE, WE CAN CONFINE THOSE IONS AND ELECTRONS AS WE HEAT THEM UP TO HOT TEMPERATURES, THEY STAY INSIDE THE VESSEL AND WE CAN HEAT THEM UP UNTIL FUSION OCCURS.

>> SO WE CAN HEAT UP THESE IONS AND ELECTRONS IN A PLASMA SO HOT THAT THEY MIGHT GET TO THE TEMPERATURE OF THE SUN.

BUT AS LONG AS YOU WRAP IT AROUND THE MAGNETIC FIELD, YOU CAN CONTAIN THAT ENERGY TO IT'S NOT HARMFUL TO US.

>> THAT'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

WE HAVE TO GET THERE TO DO FUSION.

>> SO WE'RE HERE IN THE PELA INJECTION LAB.

WHAT DO YOU SPECIFICALLY DO IN THIS LAB SPACE RIGHT NOW?

>> ONE THING WE'RE TRYING TO LEARN HOW TO DO IS TO SUSTAIN A FUSION, LIKE THE SUNBURNS FOREVER.

WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN THE LAB FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

AND WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT ABOUT THAT IS HOW WELL WE CAN FUEL IT, HOW WE CAN GET THE WOOD INTO THE FIRE TO KEEP IT GOING FOREVER.

SO WE HAVE THIS VERY HOT PLASMA.

WE HAVE TO GET FUEL INSIDE OF THAT.

HOW DO YOU DO THAT?

I MEAN, EVERYTHING WILL JUST MELT AS IT GETS CLOSER.

SO WHAT WE DO IN THIS LAB IS DEVELOP TECHNOLOGY WHERE WE CAN TAKE HYDROGENFREEZE IT TO VERY, VERY COLD TEMPERATURES, ALMOST THE COLDEST TEMPERATURE YOU CAN GET TO ON EARTH.

AND WE THEN ACCELERATE THAT INTO THIS PLASMA AND IT WILL, BECAUSE IT IS SO COLD, IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME FOR IT TO DISINT RATE.

WE FORM THE PELLETS.

IT LOOKS LIKE THIS.

A GAS PRESSURE TUBE THAT PUSHES THE PELLET AND ACCELERATES IT UP TO 300 METERS PER SECOND INTO THAT CHAMBER.

>> CAN YOU SHOW ME?

>> YEAH, I CAN SHOW YOU.

THIS VIDEO IS THE PELLET COMING OUT OF A TUBE.

IN THIS CASE, WE HAVE INTENTIONALLY BROKEN UP THE PELLET BEFORE IT GETS TO THE END OF THE TUBE.

AND WHAT YOU ARE SEEING IN THIS VIDEO IS THOSE HIGH SEED FRAGMENTS COMING OUT AND ENTERING INTO THE PLASMA.

>> SO WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE FRAGMENTS ENTER THE PLASMA?

>> IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, WE'RE USING THIS TO RAPIDLY FUEL THE PLASMA.

WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP IT FROM CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE VESSEL.

WE'RE INJECTING THE PELLET AND WE'RE COOLING IT OFF REALLY QUICKLY.

AND THAT WILL JUST PULL THE PLASMA OFF.

AND THEN IT WON'T HIT THE WALLS AND MELT THEM.

>> CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT?

>> THIS IS A COLLABORATION AMONGST MOST OF THE MAJOR COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD.

THEY ARE BUILDING IT IN FRANCE, BUT THE U.S., OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LAB, IS THE LEAD LAB IN THE UNITED STATES FOR INCOMING CONTRIBUTIONS.

PRODUCED 500 MEGA WATTS OF ENERGY FOR 400 SECONDS.

SO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT.

THAT MIGHT NOT SEEM LIKE A LOT, BUT THE 400 SECONDS IS ENOUGH TO MAKE SURE ALL THE SUBSYSTEMS HAVE GOTTEN TO A STEADY STATE AND THEY CAN OPERATE FOR A LONG TIME.

AND 500 MEGA WATTS IS GETTING VERY CLOSE TO WATCHING THESE TO ACTUALLY TURN THAT POWER SOURCE INTO A POWER PLANT.

A TYPICAL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT IS LIKE A GIGA WATT.

A THOUSAND MEGA WATT FACILITY SUPPORTS A CITY RUNNING FULL BLAST, RIGHT?

HAVE EVERY HOUSE ELECTRIFIED, EVERY BUSINESS ELECTRIFIED.

A LITTLE BIT BIGGER WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THAT, THOUGH, IS THAT IN CREATING THAT ONE GIGA WATT OF POWER, YOU ONLY NEED THREE LITTLE LITER BOTTLES OF FUEL.

FOR A COAL PLANT YOU NEED 80 LOADS OF COAL EVERY DAY TO DO THE SAME THING.

WITH FUSION, YOU WOULD DO THAT WITH THREE LITER BOTTLES EVERY DAY.

CARBON IS PRODUCING A LOT OF WASTE AT THE SAME TIME.

WHEREAS, FUSION YOU ARE BURNING THAT OFF AND YOU HAVE MINIMAL WASTE.

>> WHEN DO YOU THINK WE WILL HAVE FUSION TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE?

>> TECHNICALLY, THERE IS NO REASON WE CAN'T BE READY IN 15 YEARS.

IF THERE IS AN ENORMOUS INFLUX OF INVESTMENT AND NEW PEOPLE IN THE AREA, WE CAN DO THIS IN TEN YEARS.

THE FUTURE IS EXTREMELY BRIGHT.

THERE ARE NO GREENHOUSE GASES.

IT HAS LIMITED LONG-TERM WASTE DISPOSAL YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH.

IT HAS A FUEL THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR THE WHOLE WORLD FOR 15,000 YEARS.

IF YOU GO TO MORE EXTREME MEANS, FOR MILLIONS OF YEARS.

SO IT COULD BE THAT INEXHAUSTIBLE ENERGY SOURCE FOR MANKIND FOR THE FUTURE.

>> SUCH A PLEASURE CHATTING WITH YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> WHAT STANDS OUT TO ME HERE IS THAT WE CAN HAVE A SAFE AND EFFICIENT ENERGY SOURCE IN JUST A FEW DECADES.

>> YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

THIS ENERGY RESEARCH IMPACTED SO MANY, FROM AGRICULTURE TO COMPUTERS.

>> AND THERE ARE SOME SCIENTISTS OF THE OAK RIDGE USING SUPER COMPUTERS TO STUD CAN ENERGY.

HOW FAST IS A SUPER COMPUTER?

>> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT VERY, VERY FAST.

A SUPER COMPUTER IS MANY COMPUTERS LINKED TOGETHER TO GIVE YOU HIGH SPEED.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF TIMES FASTER THAN YOUR AVERAGE COMPUTER.

AND OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABS HAS SOME OF THE FASTEST COMPUTERS EVER MADE.

THEY HAVE THE SUMMIT, AND THEY HAVE THEMSELVES NOW WITH THE FRONTIER COMPUTER, WHICH IS DEFINITIVELY THE FASTEST COMPUTER ON EARTH.

WITH MORE ON THAT, I TALKED WITH DR. VALENTINO COOPER AT OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABS.

DR. VALENTINO COOPER, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON "QED WITH DR.

B."

>> IT'S MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> SO THIS SHOW IS ABOUT ENERGY.

SO WHAT SPECIFIC ASPECTS DO YOU LOOK AT IN ENERGY?

>> WE'RE VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN WHAT I LIKE TO CALL THE ELECTRON ECONOMY, RIGHT?

HOW DO WE MOVE ELECTRONS?

HOW DO WE CREATE ELECTRONS AND STORE THOSE ELECTRONS?

YOU CAN THINK OF THINGS LIKE SOLAR CELLS.

THOSE ARE IMPORTANT MATERIALS THAT CAPTURE SUNLIGHT THAT WE USE AS ELECTRICITY.

WE ALSO HAVE MATERIALS THAT WE CAN USE TO CONVERT THAT ELECTRICITY INTO SOMETHING THAT WE CAN STORE AND USE AT ANOTHER TIME.

SO WE CAN TAKE THAT ELECTRICITY AND STORE IT IN A BATTERY OR CONVERT IT TO SOMETHING LIKE FUEL, LIKE HYDROGEN THAT CAN BE USED IN A CARD.

>> YOU STUDY MATERIALS AT THE ATOMIC LEVEL TO INFORM US ABOUT SOLUTIONS AT A LARGER SCALE.

TALK ABOUT HOW YOUR RESEARCH AT THE ATOMIC LEVEL CAN IMPACT ON A LARGE SCALE IN TERMS OF ENERGY SOLUTIONS?

>> AS YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING AROUND US IS MADE OF ATOMS, RIGHT?

WE'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO REARRANGE THESE ATOMS IN A WAY THAT WE COULD EITHER STORE ELECTRICITY OR USE THEM TO CONVERT SOMETHING FROM ONE FORM TO ANOTHER.

IF I TAKE CERTAIN ELEMENTS AND I PUT THEM TOGETHER, WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT MATERIAL?

CAN THAT MATERIAL BE A MORE EFFICIENT CELL?

CAN THAT MATERIAL STORE MORE ELECTRICITY?

CAN THAT MATERIAL CONVERT MECHANICAL STRESS INTO ELECTRICITY?

SO A LOT OF WHAT I DO ACTUALLY COMES DOWN TO MATERIALS THAT DO THAT KIND OF CONVERSIONS.

SO THESE ARE MATERIALS THAT CAN CONVERT MECHANICAL STRESS INTO ELECTRICITY OR VICE VERSA.

YOU CAN USE ELECTRICITY TO CHANGE THE SHAPE OF MATERIALS.

A GOOD APPLICATION IS SONAR.

IT BOUNCES OFF A STRUCTURE, SAY A DOLPHIN, AND IT COMES BACK AND IT CAN CONVERT THAT SOUND WAVE INTO SOMETHING YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN.

ANOTHER APPLICATION IS ULTRASOUND.

THESE ARE WHAT YOU USE TO SEE A BABY IN UTERO BEFORE IT'S BORN.

THE OTHER WAY WE CAN USE IT FOR ENERGY APPLICATIONS IS TO USE THE REVERSE EFFECTS.

WE APPLY AN ELECTRIC FIELD AND CHANGE THE SHAPE OF THE ENERGY.

THIS IS WHAT'S USED IN DIESEL ENGINES.

YOU CAN HAVE PRECISE CONTROL OVER HOW MUCH FUEL OR HOW MUCH DIESEL YOU'RE DELIVERING.

>> TELL US ABOUT YOUR LATEST RESEARCH.

>> OUR LATEST RESEARCH NOW, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE CAPITAL MATERIALS AND BATTERIES.

SO A POSITIVE SIDE AND A NEGATIVE SIDE.

AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IS WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT POSITIVE AS WE CHARGE AND RECHARGE OUR BATTERY.

WHAT CAN HAPPEN IS AS YOU TAKE THE LITHIUM OUT, IT CAN TRANSFORM INTO SOMETHING YOU CANNOT PUT THE LITHIUM BACK INTO.

IF YOU CAN'T PUT THE LIT CRUMB BACK INTO IT, YOU CAN'T CHARGE IT.

THAT'S WHEN WE START TO HAVE TO THROW AWAY THE BATTERY.

>> SO YOUR WORK IS LOOKING AT HOW TO, A, MAKE BATTERIES RETAIN MORE ENERGY FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME AND MAKE BATTERIES MORE EFFICIENT AT BEING RECHARGEABLE.

>> YES.

>> HOW DO YOU USE COMPUTERS IN YOUR RESEARCH AND HOW COOL IS IT TO HAVE THE FASTEST COMPUTER AS YOUR FINGERTIPS?

>> FRONTIER IS REALLY A LEVEL UP OF ALL THE COMPUTERS WE HAVE SEEN BEFORE.

NOW WE CAN ACTUALLY MODEL SYSTEMS THAT ARE MUCH, MUCH LARGER SO THAT THE METHOD THAT I USE ACTUALLY IS BASED ON UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE ELECTRONS AND THE MATERIAL ARE DOING.

WHEN I STARTED OUT RESEARCH, YOU KNOW, WE WERE LOOKING AT SYSTEMS THAT ONLY HAVE AROUND 100 ATOMS.

BUT NOW WITH A MACHINE AS LARGE AS FRONTIER, WE CAN LOOK AT THINGS THAT ARE A MILLION ATOMS.

WHAT WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND IS WHAT IS THE MOST STABLE STRUCTURE OF MATERIAL.

WE HAVE A SYSTEM AND BUT PUT ATOMS IN A CERTAIN PLACE.

BUT THE WAY THE ATOMS AND THE ELECTRONS INTERACT, THAT MAY NOT BE THE MOST STABLE STRUCTURE.

IF I START OFF WITH THIS CONFIGURATION OF ATOMS WHAT IS THE STRUCTURE?

ONCE WE KNOW WHAT THE STRUCTURE IS, WE KNOW WHAT THE ELECTRONS ARE DOING.

WE CAN TELL YOU IF IT IS A MATERIAL THAT CAN BE USED AS A CATALYST WHERE YOU CAN USE IT TO CONVERT ONE FORM OF ENERGY TO ANOTHER OR DOES IT HAVE A HIGH CAPACITY BATTERY?

IS IT A MATERIAL THAT WE CAN USE AS AN EFFICIENT SOLAR SYSTEM.

>> IT IS ALMOST LIKE YOU HAD A 10,000 PIECE PUZZLE AND YOU HAD THE 10,000 PIECE PUZZLE PIECES AROUND THERE.

WE CAN TRY TO SYSTEMATICALLY PUT ONE, TWO, THREE AND BUILD THAT OR YOU CAN PUT THOSE 10,000 PIECES IN A SUPER COMPUTER AND THEY CAN SIMULATE ALL THE POSSIBLE OUTCOMES?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> WHAT IS NEXT FOR OUR RESEARCH?

>> THE NEXT THING WE'RE LOOKING AT IS THE MATERIAL THAT GOES BETWEEN THE BATTERIES.

MOST BATTERIES NOW, BETWEEN THEM YOU HAVE A LIQUID.

UNFORTUNATELY, THAT LIQUID IS NOT A GOOD BARRIER.

SO WHAT CAN HAPPEN IS THAT YOUR LITHIUM CAN START TO FORM LITTLE BRIDGES BETWEEN YOUR POSITIVE SIDE AND YOUR NEGATIVE SIDE.

WHEN THAT HAPPENS, IT CAUSES A SHORT.

SO THAT MEANS INSTEAD OF YOUR ELECTRONS GOING THROUGH YOUR CIRCUIT TO, SAY, YOUR LIGHTBULB TO TURN IT ON, IT GOES THROUGH YOUR BATTERY.

SO THEN YOU NEVER SEE A LIGHTBULB TURN ON.

THE OTHER DANGER IN THAT IS IT IS A FLAMMABLE LIQUID.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS WHAT TYPE OF SOLID MATERIALS COULD WE PUT IN THERE THAT WOULD BE A LOT MORE STABLE OR LESS FLAMMABLE THAN THOSE LEK LIQUIDS (?

>> HOW IS IT TO WORK AT THE OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY.

>> FOR A PERSON LIKE ME THAT MODELS MATERIALS ON A COMPUTER, I GET TO MEET EVERY DAY SCIENTISTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY MAKING THESE MATERIALS.

SO I GET TO SEE HOW THE THINGS I PREDICT CAN BE MADE IN REAL LIFE AND HOW THEY WORK.

I GET FEEDBACK AND THEY TELL ME WHETHER I'M WRONG OR WHETHER I'M RIGHT.

>> DR. COOPER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING ON "QED WITH DR.

B."

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I HAD A GREAT TIME.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> LISTENING TO DR. COOPER, IT IS AMAZING WHAT SUPER COMPUTERS ARE CAPABLE OF.

I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT THEY WERE TO THE RESEARCH OF ENERGY.

>> SIMPLY PUT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE NEED TO PROCESS COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF DATA.

AND SUPER COMPUTERS ALLOW US TO DO THAT IN A TIME THAT MAKES US EFFICIENT.

>> WELL, WE TALKED ABOUT NUCLEAR ENERGY AND BATTERIES.

NEXT WE'RE EXPLORING BIO FUELS.

>> FOR MORE ON THAT, I HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO DR. CARRIE ECKERT.

FIRST OF ALL, WHAT IS A BIO FUEL?

>> IT IS A FUEL THAT IS DERIVED FROM A LIVING THING.

SO IT IS GOING TO BE FROM PLANTS OR SOMETHING THAT IS FERMENTED BY A MICROBE SUCH AS HEAT.

>> NOW, ASSUMING WE GO TO BIO FUELS BECAUSE WE THINK THEY WILL BE EITHER ENERGY EFFICIENT OR HELPING THE ENVIRONMENT; IS THAT CORRECT?

>> YES.

OR MOSTLY IT IS TOWARDS HELPING THE ENVIRONMENT.

WE REALLY WANT TO GET AWAY FROM THE USE OF FOSSIL FUELS.

>> BUT BIO FUELS ARE FROM SOMETHING LIKE CORN, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU STILL HAVE TO GROW THE CORN.

>> YES.

>> YOU HAVE TO FARM IT.

IT REQUIRES LOTS OF LAND AND WATER.

>> YES.

>> GROWING THAT CORN IS ENERGY INTENSIVE.

IS IT NOT?

>> YEAH.

SO CURRENTLY THERE ARE SOME BIO FUELS THAT ARE OUT THERE.

WE CALL THOSE FIRST GENERATIONS BIO FUELS, AND THAT IS DERIVED FROM CORN, SO YOU GET THE SUGARS FROM THE CORN AND THEY TURN INTO YEAST AND THEN ETHANOL.

OR FROM OIL PLANTS SUCH AS SOY BEANS.

THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THOSE ARE ON AGRICULTURAL LAND THAT WE COMPETE WITH FOR OUR FOOD.

SO REALLY WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS WHAT IS TERMED SECOND GENERATION BIO FUELS, SO THINGS FROM DIFFERENT WASTE OR PLANTS THAT CAN GROW IN AREAS WHERE WE CAN'T GROW.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT BEING ABLE TO UTILIZE THOSE PRODUCTS AS FEED STOCK.

>> HOW DO MICROBES WORK ON THESE PRODUCTS TO GIVE US BIO FUEL?

>> IN TERMS OF SOME OF THOSE PLANTS, YOU CAN'T DIRECTLY FEED THAT TO A LOT OF MICROBES, BUT YOU CAN TAKE THE ENZYMES FROM THOSE ORGANISMS AND CONVERT IT TO SUGAR.

YOU CAN FEED IT TO A CONVENTIONAL YEAST.

IT'S NOT CHEAP.

THAT'S WHY YOU REALLY DON'T SEE THAT YET.

>> SO TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE RESEARCH YOU DO AT BIO FUEL.

>> WE'RE WORKING ON NONMODEL MICROBES.

>> YEAST IS MORE OF A MODEL MICROBES.

IT'S USED FOR CENTURIES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ETHANOL.

WE USE IT TO STUDY THINGS SUCH AS CANCERS.

WHEN YOU ARE MOVING TO MORE NONCONVENTIONAL MICROBES, THEY DON'T HAVE THE SAME GENETIC TOOLS AVAILABLE.

SO WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME HERE AT OAK RIDGE DEVELOPING TOOLS FOR THESE ORGANISMS TO ENGINEER THEM TO MAKE THE PRODUCTS THAT WE WANT.

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>> SO SPEAKING OF THIS BUZZ AROUND CRISPER.

TELL US WHAT IS CRISPER?

HOW DOES IT WORK?

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE USING?

>> SO CRISPER IS ACTUALLY AN IMMUNE SYSTEM FOR BACTERIA.

>> TIMEOUT.

TIMEOUT.

YOU JUST SAID AN IMMUNE SYSTEM FOR BACTERIA.

HELP BREAK THAT DOWN BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY EXCITING.

BACTERIA ACTUALLY HAS THEIR OWN IMMUNE SYSTEM.

>> SO THERE ARE VIRUSES OUT THERE THAT DIRECTLY INFECT BACTERIA, AND THAT CAN CAUSE ISSUES FOR THE BACTERIA.

SO THE BACTERIA GENERATED THESE SYSTEMS.

THEY BASICALLY CAN IDENTIFY FOREIGN DNA, CUT THE DNA AND IT WILL GET RID OF IT.

IT CAN CLEAR IT.

>> IT CAN USE THE SCISSORS AND CUT OUT THAT FOREIGN DNA AND SAVE ITSELF?

>> YES.

>> GOT IT, OKAY.

>> SO WE'RE USING IT TO MODIFY BACTERIA AND YEAST IN OUR LABS.

IT WILL CUT THE DNA ON BOTH STRANDS AND THAT RESULTS IN A MUTATION.

SO A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE'RE DOING SCIENCE, WE WANT TO LOOK AT THE DELETION OF PARTICULAR GENES TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S FUNCTION IS, SO WHEN IT IS NOT THERE ANYMORE.

>> SO YOU ARE USING THIS ESSENTIALLY GENETIC SCISSORS THAT CAN CUT OUT DNA.

YOU ARE USING IT TO REMOVE GENES OR INSERT GENES THAT YOU WANT.

WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SELECT IN YOUR MODIFIED BACTERIA AND YEAST?

>> LINKING A GENETIC CHANGE.

IN TERMS OF SELECTIONS, YOU ARE MAKING A VERY TOXIC COMPOUND, BUT YOU WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO STILL GROW, AND YOU CAN SELECT FOR THINGS THAT CAN STILL GROW UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS AND LOOK AT WHAT GENETIC CHANGES ALLOWED FOR THEM TO GROW BETTER.

WE HAVE BEEN BUILDING VERY LARGE LIBRARIES WHERE WE CAN TARGET ALL OVER THESE BACTERIAL GENOMES.

>> YOU'RE FILLING OUT THIS LIBRARY THAT CAN BE USEFUL FOR ALL THESE MODIFICATION POSSIBILITIES.

WITH ALL OF THAT, 5 TO 10 YEARS FROM NOW, WHAT DO WE EXPECT IN BIO FUELS?

>> I THINK IN 5 TO 10 YEARS WE SHOULD START TO SEE THINGS THAT ARE STARTING TO COME OUT OF THIS SPACE WHERE THEY WILL BE USABLE.

WE ARE MOVING TOWARDS TECHNOLOGIES WHERE WE CAN TAKE THAT ETHANOL AND USE CATALYSTS WITH THE ENGINEERS AND CONVERT THAT TO SUSTAINABLE AVIATION TOOLS.

>> SO THAT'S SO INTERESTING.

YOU MODIFIED MILLIONS OF TRILLIONS OF BACTERIA BY THIS POINT IN YOUR CAREER.

DO YOU HAVE EXAMPLES OF HOW THEY REACT AFTER YOU MODIFIED THEM?

>> ONE WAY IS DOING THE CRISPER INTERFERENCE WITHIN THEMSELVES AND THEN WE CAN LOOK IN REAL-TIME.

IT'S BASICALLY TAKING FIVE MINUTE SNIPPETS OF THE POPULATION OVER TIME.

SO YOU ARE SEEING CELL DIVISION IN REALTIME.

>> SO IN REALTIME WE'RE WATCHING BACTERIAL ACTIVITY AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE MODIFICATION YOU HAVE DONE?

>> YES.

ONE OF WHICH WILL BE THE WILD TYPE.

IT IS UNEDITED, SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY CHANGES TO IT.

IT IS HOW IT IS IN NATURE.

>> YEAH.

YOU WILL SEE IT DIVIDING EVENLY AND ALL THE CELLS ARE SIMILAR SIZES AS IT DIVIDES.

BUT IN THE CASE OF THIS OTHER VIDEO, WE ALSO HAVE CRISPER INTERFERENCE HAPPENING, AND IT'S TARGETING A GENE THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR BASICALLY CELL DIVISION.

IF YOU KNOCK IT DOWN, THESE CELLS CAN NO LONGER DIVIDE AND THEY JUST CONTINUE TO ELONGATE.

>> SO IT IS ALMOST LIKE A STRING?

>> YES.

IT IS BASICALLY LIKE A SNAKE.

>> THIS IS REALLY EXCITING.

I LOOK FORWARD TO FOLLOWING YOUR RESEARCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> MY TAKE-AWAY TODAY IS THAT IN THE NEXT FEW DECADES, WE COULD HAVE A LOT OF NEW ENERGY SOURCES.

THAT'S EXCITING.

>> THERE IS SO MANY GREAT TAKE-AWAYS BUT TWO FUNDAMENTAL ONES.

OUR IMPORTANCE ON UNDERSTANDING ENERGY PRODUCTION AND ENERGY USAGE IS CRITICAL FOR TAKING CARE OF OUR PLANET.

AND THE SECOND THING I'M SUPER JAZZED ABOUT IS IF WE CAN FIGURE OUT TO HARNESS ENERGY LIKE THE SUN, THAT WILL SOLVE ALL OF OUR ENERGY NEEDS FOREVER.

THAT'S REALLY COOL.

AND THAT'S "QED WITH DR.

B."

THAT'S ME.

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM AND TWITTER, AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

>>> PRODUCTION FUNDING FROM "QED WITH DR. B" IS PROVIDED BY -- >> IT WAS PART OF OUR FUNDING.

OUR FOUNDER BELIEVED IN BUILDING AN INSTITUTE THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BETTER NOTICE THROUGH THE USE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.

THIS YEAR WE'RE GOING TO HIT A GOAL OF A MILLION STUDENTS A YEAR THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO IMPACT AROUND THE COUNTRY.

>> AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER FOUNDATION, BOUNDLESS ENERGY FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE.

>> AND BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.