QS ranks MIT the world’s No. 1 university for 2020-21
Ranked at the top for the ninth straight year, the Institute also places first in 12 subject areas.
Department
Physics
Citizen scientists spot closest young brown dwarf disk yet
Discovery made through the Disk Detective project could help the search for new planets.
Physicists measure a short-lived radioactive molecule for first time
Molecules containing heavy and deformed radioactive nuclei may help scientists to measure symmetry-violating phenomena and identify signs of dark matter.
Study finds electrical fields can throw a curveball
Particle-scale phenomenon akin to the swerving of a curveball could allow selective separation of suspended nanomaterials.
A Ticketmaster for science seminars
Despite physical isolation, MIT mathematicians build one-stop portal to online talks around the world.
Eleven from MIT awarded 2020 Fulbright Fellowships
Graduating seniors and recent alumni will spend upcoming year abroad on Fulbright grants.
Towable sensor free-falls to measure vertical slices of ocean conditions
Instrument may help scientists assess the ocean’s response to climate change.
Exploring the quantum field, from the sun’s core to the Big Bang
Theoretical physicist William Detmold unlocks the mysteries of quarks, gluons, and their “strong interactions” at the subatomic level.
Probing reality through physics, philosophy, and writing
Senior Michelle Xu’s varied interests all involve a desire to understand the universe. “I was just never particularly picky about which way to figure it out,” she says.
Exploring new paths to future quantum electronics
Jagadeesh Moodera and colleagues to investigate interface-driven phenomena in quantum materials in the quest for energy-efficient quantum electronics.
Researchers map tiny twists in “magic-angle” graphene
Results could help designers engineer high-temperature superconductors and quantum computing devices.
Finding the right quantum materials
Associate Professor Joseph Checkelsky wins $1.7 million Emergent Phenomena in Quantum Systems Initiative grant to pursue search for new crystalline materials.
Siranush Babakhanova and Michal Gala named 2020 Knight-Hennessy Scholars
Seniors will receive full funding for graduate studies at Stanford University.
Study: Life might survive, and thrive, in a hydrogen world
When searching for extraterrestrial life, astronomers may want to look at planets with hydrogen-rich atmospheres.
How growth of the scientific enterprise influenced a century of quantum physics
In a new book, Professor David Kaiser describes dramatic shifts in the history of an evolving discipline.