Compression Test (IMAGE) DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Caption Scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of California at Berkeley conducted compression tests of copper specimens irradiated with high-energy protons, designed to model how damage from radiation affects the mechanical properties of copper. By using a specialized in situ mechanical testing device in a transmission electron microscope at the National Center for Electron Microscopy, the team could examine -- with nanoscale resolution -- the localized nature of this deformation. (Scales in nanometers, millionths of a meter.) Credit Minor et al, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Usage Restrictions with credit as given License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.