Brookhaven National Laboratory, scientific research center, at Upton (town of Brookhaven), Long Island, N.Y. It was founded in 1947 by Associated Universities, a management corporation sponsored by nine eastern U.S. universities. The corporation ran the laboratory under a contract with the U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) until 1997, when safety problems led the DOE to replace it. Brookhaven conducts multidisciplinary scientific work, e.g., studies of atomic nuclei and human genetics, investigations of the effects and uses of nuclear radiation, and research and development in nuclear technology. The laboratory's equipment includes nuclear reactors and particle accelerators. The facilities also include a center for work in nuclear medicine. Students from universities around the world work at the laboratory.
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