School of Science appoints 10 faculty to named professorships
Those selected for these positions receive additional support to pursue their research and develop their careers.
Department
Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences
A healthy wind
Health benefits of using wind energy instead of fossil fuels could quadruple if the most polluting power plants are selected for dialing down, new study finds.
New faculty join the School of Science in 2022
Seven professors join the departments of Biology; Chemistry; Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences; Mathematics; and Physics.
Earth can regulate its own temperature over millennia, new study finds
Scientists have confirmed that a “stabilizing feedback” on 100,000-year timescales keeps global temperatures in check.
3 Questions: Looking to Artemis I for a return to the moon
As NASA launches Artemis I, MIT experts weigh in on the importance of the mission to future space exploration.
Expanding horizons through astronomy and art
Whether spending late nights at the observatory or working on animated films, senior Skylar Larsen is reaching for the stars.
Ocean microbes get their diet through a surprising mix of sources, study finds
Up to one-third of the carbon consumed by Prochlorococcus may come from sources other than photosynthesis.
Geophysicist Leigh Royden looks at Earth from the top down
The MIT professor combines geophysics and geology to understand what’s happening beneath the crust.
Coordinating climate and air-quality policies to improve public health
New MIT tool pinpoints policy combinations that maximize health benefits.
Method for decoding asteroid interiors could help aim asteroid-deflecting missions
Astronomers have found a way to determine an asteroid’s interior structure based on how its spin changes during a close encounter with Earth.
Documentary featuring Professor Sara Seager wins Emmy Award
“The Hunt for Planet B” follows Seager and others on their search for extraterrestrial life; three other nominated films feature MIT affiliates.
Small eddies play a big role in feeding ocean microbes
Swirling waters replenish nutrients in open ocean, a new study finds, and could mitigate some climate change effects.
Saturn’s rings and tilt could be the product of an ancient, missing moon
A “grazing encounter” may have smashed the moon to bits to form Saturn’s rings, a new study suggests.
Study: Astronomers risk misinterpreting planetary signals in JWST data
Refining current opacity models will be key to unearthing details of exoplanet properties — and signs of life — in data from the powerful new telescope.
Divorce is more common in albatross couples with shy males, study finds
In a long-studied population of wandering albatrosses, females are less likely to stick with a shy mate.