Natural Sciences
Activity in space and on new worlds requires exquisite knowledge and understanding of nature’s phenomena. At Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), we advance fundamental knowledge of the natural environment through research and discovery in the biological sciences, Earth and coastal sciences, and physical sciences.
Whether it’s investigating how ecosystems function or pathogens influence human health—or refining the molecular-level understanding of complex, multiphase systems and phenomena— our research inspires scientific advances to tackle some of the biggest challenges in the natural sciences here on Earth and beyond. For example, PNNL is engaged in NASA-funded research to explore how life adapts and changes during spaceflight. Our scientists in the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory have also been involved in an experiment to understand how plants grow in space.