Engineering fantasy into reality
PhD student Erik Ballesteros is building “Doc Ock” arms for future astronauts.
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Astronomers detect the brightest fast radio burst of all time
The dazzling “RBFLOAT” radio burst, originating in a nearby galaxy, offers the clearest view yet of the environment around these mysterious flashes.
Professor John Joannopoulos, photonics pioneer and Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies director, dies at 78
Over 50 years at MIT, the condensed-matter physicist led the development of photonic crystals, translating discoveries into wide-ranging applications in energy, medicine, and defense.
Planets without water could still produce certain liquids, a new study finds
Lab experiments show “ionic liquids” can form through common planetary processes and might be capable of supporting life even on waterless planets.
Famous double-slit experiment holds up when stripped to its quantum essentials
MIT physicists confirm that, like Superman, light has two identities that are impossible to see at once.
Astronomers discover star-shredding black holes hiding in dusty galaxies
Unlike active galaxies that constantly pull in surrounding material, these black holes lie dormant, waking briefly to feast on a passing star.
New tool gives anyone the ability to train a robot
MIT engineers designed a versatile interface that allows users to teach robots new skills in intuitive ways.
Island rivers carve passageways through coral reefs
Research shows these channels allow seawater and nutrients to flow in and out, helping to maintain reef health over millions of years.
MIT engineers uncover a surprising reason why tissues are flexible or rigid
Watery fluid between cells plays a major role, offering new insights into how organs and tissues adapt to aging, diabetes, cancer, and more.
When Earth iced over, early life may have sheltered in meltwater ponds
Modern-day analogs in Antarctica reveal ponds teeming with life similar to early multicellular organisms.
Have a damaged painting? Restore it in just hours with an AI-generated “mask”
A new method can physically restore original paintings using digitally constructed films, which can be removed if desired.
Window-sized device taps the air for safe drinking water
MIT engineers developed an atmospheric water harvester that produces fresh water anywhere — even Death Valley, California.
Physicists observe a new form of magnetism for the first time
The magnetic state offers a new route to “spintronic” memory devices that would be faster and more efficient than their electronic counterparts.
Study shows making hydrogen with soda cans and seawater is scalable and sustainable
The method’s overall carbon emissions are on par with those of other green hydrogen technologies.
New 3D printing method enables complex designs and creates less waste
MIT engineers developed a technique for making intricate structures with supports that can be dissolved and reused instead of thrown away.