New York Times reporter Shola Lawal writes that a study by MIT researchers uncovers evidence that seeding oceans with iron may not be an effective method of combatting climate change. The researchers found that “more iron in the sea would deplete other nutrients, cause plankton death and have negative effects on marine life,” Lawal explains.
Writing for the Financial Times, Margaret Heffernan spotlights how a study by Prof. Alex “Sandy” Pentland underscores the importance of social interactions in work environments. Pentland found that during shared coffee breaks “people were sharing information, problem-solving, motivating and helping one another.”
Reporting for CBS Boston, Dr. Mallika Marshall spotlights how MIT researchers have uncovered a new antibiotic using a deep-learning algorithm. Marshall notes that the researchers tested the new antibiotic “against dozens of bacteria in lab dishes and found it could kill many strains that are resistant to treatment.”
Profs. Regina Barzilay and James Collins speak with Angus Chen of WBUR about how they developed a new algorithm to identify an antibiotic that could treat drug-resistant bacteria. “The study shows the power of harnessing artificial intelligence to address the antibiotic resistance crisis,” says Collins.
Boston Globe reporter Scott Kirsner explores the growth and impact of The Engine, highlighting how the venture is “revving up the potential” of tough tech startups. Kirsner notes that The Engine has “managed to create a supremely supportive ecosystem for these startups.”
Boston 25’s Chris Flanagan visits MIT to learn about how researchers developed a smart diaper that alerts caregivers when moisture is detected. “It can help in identifying skin hydration and prevent rashes from happening on the skin because, if the diaper is left on for too long, it can lead to skin rashes," says research associate Pankhuri Sen.
Prof. Luis Perez-Breva speaks with Forbes contributor Ron Schmelzer about the current state of AI and machine learning.
Neha Narula, director of the Media Lab’s Digital Currency Initiative, writes for The Wall Street Journal about why she feels the U.S. dollar should be digitized. “The U.S. could help pave the way for faster, cheaper and more secure payments by allowing consumers to hold central-bank-issued digital currency outside of commercial banks,” writes Narula.
Writing for Forbes, Joseph Coughlin, director of the MIT AgeLab, explores how AgeLab researchers are examining the work of caregivers as part of an effort to “help us to understand how technology might help caregivers; the many other ways that caregivers need help to provide care to others and to care for themselves; and how to plan for this universally experienced fact of life.”
The Economist spotlights Prof. Aviv Regev’s work mapping the location of each cell in the human body as part of the Human Cell Atlas program. The Economist notes that the project will result in “the most granular view yet obtained of human anatomy.”
The AP reports that William McRaven, a retired U.S. Navy admiral and former chancellor of the University of Texas system, has been selected to deliver MIT’s 2020 Commencement address. “McRaven was head of U.S. Special Operations Command in 2011 when a team of Navy SEALs killed the al-Qaida leader in Pakistan,” the AP notes.
MIT researchers have identified a new kind of antibiotic using AI, according to BBC News. “A powerful algorithm was used to analyze more than one hundred million chemical compounds in a matter of days. The newly discovered compound was able to kill 35 types of potentially deadly bacteria.”
Newsweek reporter Rosie McCall writes that MIT researchers have developed a decision map to help determine the best course of action when faced with an asteroid headed towards Earth. The decision map “considers the asteroid's mass, momentum, trajectory and how much warning time scientists have before collision,” writes McCall.
In an article for The Washington Post, Prof. M. Taylor Fravel examines China’s approach to territorial disputes. Fravel notes that “by settling the majority of its other territorial disputes, China and its neighbors have reduced numerous opportunities for armed conflict.”
Writing for The Conversation, Sriram Chandrasekaran explores how MIT researchers used a deep-learning algorithm to identify an antibiotic that could be used to treat drug-resistant bacteria. Chandrasekaran writes that AI technologies “may soon give us a leg up in the never-ending battle against drug resistance.”