On the wall outside Cherrill Spencer's office, a scientific poster describes a prototype for a new type of accelerator magnet; a card thanks her for donating her long hair to make a wig for an ailing girl; and a scribbled note points to a spot on a map southeast of Novosibirsk, Russia.
The Fermilab boneyard is no burial ground; its a place where unwanted parts find new homes and lives. Theyre matched with scientists who can put them to good use, donated to local schools and parks, or sold for recycling.
Lifted out of a travel carrier, the owl screeched and bit its handler's leather glove. The bird was returning to its historic home—and helping to save its species.