How long will a volcanic island live?
Plate tectonics and mantle plumes set the lifespan of volcanic islands like Hawaii and the Galapagos.
Department
Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences
A sign that aliens could stink
A molecule that’s known for its smelly and poisonous nature on Earth may be a sure-fire sign of extraterrestrial life.
Technology and Policy Program launches Research to Policy Engagement Initiative
Initiative will support efforts to inform policy with scientific research.
How biomarkers can record and reconstruct climate trends
Scientists reveal the genes and proteins controlling the chemical structures underpinning paleoclimate proxies.
Investigating the rise of oxygenic photosynthesis
EAPS scientists find an alternative explanation for mineral evidence thought to signal the presence of oxygen prior to the Great Oxidation Event.
Designing humanity’s future in space
The Space Exploration Initiative’s latest research flight explores work and play in microgravity.
Continuing a legacy of Antarctic exploration
The Summons Lab compares lipids from Antarctic microbial communities to century-old samples.
School of Science appoints 14 faculty members to named professorships
Those selected for these positions receive additional support to pursue their research and develop their careers.
Collision course: A geological mystery in the Himalayas
MIT geologists use paleomagnetism to determine the chain of events that resulted in the Himalayan mountains, with the support of MISTI-India.
Supercomputer analyzes web traffic across entire internet
Modeling web traffic could aid cybersecurity, computing infrastructure design, Internet policy, and more.
Antarctic ice cliffs may not contribute to sea-level rise as much as predicted
Study finds even the tallest ice cliffs should support their own weight rather than collapsing catastrophically.
First-year students encouraged to “reuse, refill, replenish”
MIT welcomed the Class of 2023 with an initiative to reduce the impact of water consumption through reusable water bottles and other sustainable habits.
Computing and the search for new planets
MIT planetary scientists partner with computer scientists to find exoplanets.
TESS team is awarded NASA's Silver Achievement Medal
The honor recognizes the "stellar achievement" of the people behind the exoplanet-seeking satellite.
Computing in Earth science: a non-linear path
UROP student Sonia Reilly studies the math of machine learning to improve predictions of natural disasters.