Universal musical harmony
Acoustic and biological constraints shape how we hear harmony across cultures.
Quantum fluctuations can jiggle objects on the human scale
Study shows LIGO’s 40-kilogram mirrors can move in response to tiny quantum effects, revealing the “spooky popcorn of the universe.”
TESS mission discovers massive ice giant
Neptune-sized planet may be remnant core of a much larger planet.
What is the Covid-19 data tsunami telling policymakers?
A global team of researchers searches for insights during a weeklong virtual “datathon.”
How worms move: Dopamine helps nematodes coordinate motor behaviors
To spy on worms for days on end, Picower Institute scientists invent a new open-source microscopy platform.
MIT Energy Initiative awards eight seed fund grants for early-stage MIT energy research
Annual MITEI awards support research on battery storage, smart grids, and carbon emissions reduction.
The MIT Press and UC Berkeley launch Rapid Reviews: COVID-19
The new open access, rapid-review overlay journal aims to combat misinformation in Covid-19 research.
Engineers use “DNA origami” to identify vaccine design rules
In lab tests, virus-like DNA structures coated with viral proteins provoke a strong immune response in human B cells.
Producing a gaseous messenger molecule inside the body, on demand
Method could shed light on nitric oxide’s role in the neural, circulatory, and immune systems.
How cancer drugs find their targets
Certain cancer therapeutics concentrate within cells — a finding that could change the way scientists think about drug design.
A focused approach to imaging neural activity in the brain
New molecule for imaging calcium in neurons reduces crosstalk from neighboring neurons.
Identifying a melody by studying a musician’s body language
Music gesture artificial intelligence tool developed at the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab uses body movements to isolate the sounds of individual instruments.
Helping consumers in a crisis
“Quantitative easing” program let households spend more during the last recession. Could it work again?
Like a treasure map, brain region emphasizes reward location
The lateral septum encodes spatial information with a special emphasis on where the reward lies.
Super-strong surgical tape detaches on demand
Removable adhesive could make it easier for surgeons to close up internal wounds.