A new study co-authored by MIT researchers examines the accuracy of climate models published over the past five decades, reports David Roberts for Vox. The researchers found that even “crude early models were fairly accurate, which is remarkable given the sophistication of the science and the available computing power. “
Wired reporter Aarian Marshall writes that CSAIL researchers have developed a new system that could help autonomous vehicles predict the decisions other drivers will make. “The technique improves self-driving vehicles’ predictions about human drivers’ decisions, and therefore the vehicles’ on-road performance, by 25 percent, as measured by a test involving merging in a computer simulation,” writes Marshall.
A new long-lasting pill developed by MIT researchers could be used to deliver contraceptive drugs on a monthly basis, reports Michelle Roberts for the BBC News. “The prototype is a star-shaped drug delivery system packaged into an easy-to-swallow dissolvable capsule no bigger than a regular fish oil tablet,” Roberts reports.
MIT researchers have demonstrated that climate models used over the past few decades have provided accurate predictions of the future impacts of global warming, reports Yessenia Funes for Gizmodo. The researchers examined “15 climate models used between 1970 and 2007 to predict how warm the Earth was going to become,” and found that they “could accurately predict the global surface temperature rise associated with greenhouse gas emissions.”
Wired reporter Megan Molteni writes that MIT researchers have developed a slow-release pill that can gradually deliver one month’s worth of contraceptive drugs. “From an engineering aspect, the key novelty is the ability to deliver a drug for a month after a single ingestion event,” explains Prof. Giovanni Traverso.
MIT researchers have developed a new treatment that could help ease the pain caused by passing kidney stones, reports CBS Boston. The researchers found that “delivering a combination of two muscle relaxants directly to the ureter, the tube that connects the kidneys and bladder, can make passage faster and less painful.”
Fast Company reporter Kristin Toussaint writes that researchers from MIT and Climate Interactive have created a climate change simulator that allows users to craft their own climate policy. The simulator can help “people from any background understand the climate challenge that we’re facing,” explains Prof. John Sterman.
MIT and Climate Interactive have developed a climate-change simulator that “is the first of its kind designed for politicians and others who care about climate change and energy, but aren’t researchers accustomed to arcane models,” reports Naema Ahmed and Amy Harder for Axios. “It shows how your choices affect annual greenhouse gas emissions, global temperature rise and energy costs over the next 80 years.”
A new working paper co-authored by MIT researchers finds that federal investment in R&D leads to increased private sector R&D spending, reports Jamie Powell for the Financial Times.
Quartz reporter Sarah Scoles spotlights research scientist Christopher Carr’s work developing “autonomous tools that could someday travel to Mars, collect samples, extract their genetic material, and sequence it—no humans required.”
Prof. Simon Johnson writes for The Wall Street Journal about the impact of health care plans on American businesses and entrepreneurs, and examines Senator Elizabeth Warren’s health care proposal. Johnson notes that, “if health-care costs continue to grow unchecked, America’s businesses will be ruined.”
MIT students Phoebe Li and Amber VanHemel speak with NPR’s Lulu Garcia-Navarro about their quest to set a new world record for the longest hot dog toss and catch. “We found the easiest way to throw the hot dog was to throw at end over end so that it would kind of just spin like a Ferris wheel towards Amber,” says Li.
Writing for USA Today, senior lecturer Sharmila C. Chatterjee explores how brick-and-mortar stores can compete with online retailers. “As long as brick-and-mortar retailers play to their strengths by integrating with online, developing creative partnerships, and providing customers with stimulation, meaningful human interactions, and unique offerings, there is room for both to thrive,” Chatterjee writes.
Nature reporter Ewen Callaway spotlights a study by MT researchers that finds scooped papers receive only a quarter fewer citations than papers that were the first to report the same discovery. “You get a meaningful advantage for being first, but being scooped may not be as devastating as people seem to fear,” says graduate student Carolyn Stein.
Writing for The Wall Street Journal, research scientist Matthias Winkenbach explores the feasibility of using drones for package delivery. “Many demonstration and research projects around the world have shown the technology behind drone delivery can work,” writes Winkenbach. “Only economic and regulatory reality—rather than hype fueled by the venture-capital world—will determine whether it is commercially viable.”