Earthquake damage at deeper depths occurs long after initial activity
While the Earth’s upper crust recovers quickly from seismic activity, new research finds the mid-crust recovers much more slowly, if at all.
Department
Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences
Geologists discover the first evidence of 4.5-billion-year-old “proto Earth”
Materials from ancient rocks could reveal conditions in the early solar system that shaped the early Earth and other planets.
Laurent Demanet appointed co-director of MIT Center for Computational Science and Engineering
Applied mathematics professor will join fellow co-director Nicolas Hadjiconstantinou in leading the cross-cutting center.
MIT joins in constructing the Giant Magellan Telescope
The major public-private partnership is expected to strengthen MIT research and US leadership in astronomy and engineering.
The first animals on Earth may have been sea sponges, study suggests
MIT researchers traced chemical fossils in ancient rocks to the ancestors of modern-day demosponges.
MIT geologists discover where energy goes during an earthquake
Based on mini “lab-quakes” in a controlled setting, the findings could help researchers assess the vulnerability of quake-prone regions.
Study finds exoplanet TRAPPIST-1e is unlikely to have a Venus- or Mars-like atmosphere
Astronomers led by EAPS postdoc Ana Glidden ruled out several atmospheric scenarios for the planet, narrowing ideas of what habitability there might look like.
Simpler models can outperform deep learning at climate prediction
New research shows the natural variability in climate data can cause AI models to struggle at predicting local temperature and rainfall.
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.
Five MIT faculty elected to the National Academy of Sciences for 2025
Rodney Brooks, Parag Pathak, Scott Sheffield, Benjamin Weiss, Yukiko Yamashita, and 13 MIT alumni are recognized by their peers for their outstanding contributions to research.
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.
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.
QS ranks MIT the world’s No. 1 university for 2025-26
Ranking at the top for the 14th year in a row, the Institute also places first in 11 subject areas.
After more than a decade of successes, ESI’s work will spread out across the Institute
John Fernandez will step down as head of the Environmental Solutions Initiative, as its components will become part of the Climate Project and other entities.
Decarbonizing steel is as tough as steel
But a new study shows how advanced steelmaking technologies could substantially reduce carbon emissions.