A working paper published by MIT’s Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research found that 74% of rideshare drivers earn less than the minimum wage for their state. “The report also showed a huge turnover rate among drivers, with half to 90 percent quitting after a short time,” writes Carolyn Said for the San Francisco Chronicle.
Mary Beth Griggs writes for Popular Science about a new Nature study where researchers have identified cold hydrogen dating back to 180 million years post-big bang. “Some of the radiation from the very first stars is starting to allow hydrogen to be seen,” says Alan Rogers of the Haystack Observatory.
Prof. John Gabrieli writes about new research that uses brain scans to predict who will be receptive to certain therapies for mental illness. "Brain scans to tailor treatments embody a new form of personalized medicine, an approach that often relies on customizing therapies based on an individual's genetics," Gabrieli writes for Scientific American.
Astranis, a startup co-founded by alum Ryan McLinko, is building smaller and less expensive satellites for the purpose of providing internet access. “[T]he company just might be able to bring affordable high-speed internet to places where laying fiber isn't practical, such as the Pacific islands,” writes Klint Finley for Wired.
Sam Levin writes for The Guardian about a new working paper published by MIT’s Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research that has "raised fresh concerns about labor standards in the booming sharing economy." The study found that after incurred costs associated with driving, U.S. rideshare employees "make a median profit of $3.37 per hour before taxes."
In comments told to NCAA’s Champion magazine, MIT’s recently retired lacrosse coach reflects on 43 years at MIT. The coach, Walter Alessi, describes the feeling when hundreds of former players who attended his retirement ceremony. “I was overwhelmed that I had this kind of an influence over guys who are now doctors, lawyers, engineers, scientists,” said Alessi. “It made me feel pretty good.”
EasyEmail, a startup co-founded at MIT, offers an AI-driven “productivity tool” for quickly responding to email. “Going through MIT’s Sandbox Program, Fuse, and The Martin Trust Center’s NYC Summer Startup Studio helped the team rapidly iterate and develop their product,” writes Forbes contributor Frederick Daso, also a graduate student at MIT.
This April, NASA will launch the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, or TESS, which will measure the masses of at least 50 “potentially Earth-like worlds,” writes Irene Klotz for Scientific American. “We’re finding the particular star that actually potentially hosts an exoplanet around it,” said senior research scientist George Ricker, the lead scientist on TESS.
The Nature Podcast, hosted by Adam Levy and Shamini Bundell, highlights research from the Haystack Observatory and Prof. Li-Huei Tsai’s findings around Alzheimer’s and its connection to brain waves.
Bloomberg View’s Barry Ritholtz interviews MIT Innovation Teams Program (i-Teams) Director Luis Perez-Breva about his love for projects that “look impossible,” ideas that are “born bad,” and what the word “innovation” really means.
A robotic carpenter developed by CSAIL is pre-cutting wood for flat-pack furniture, making assembly safer and more efficient. Called AutoSaw, the idea “was not to replace human carpenters but to allow them to focus on more important tasks such as design,” writes Dave Lee for the BBC.
Heidi Ledford of Nature highlights the modification of an enzyme that will allow for enhanced CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, led by Broad Institute researcher David Liu. Ledford explains that while Liu believes the enzyme could be a staple in the lab, he also adds that “it will need more testing before its full potential becomes clear.”
Led by senior research scientist Rolland Pellenq, students in the School of Engineering developed a model “that links a city’s ‘texture’ to its night-time UHI (Urban Heat Index),” writes Laurie Winkless for Forbes. The team hopes their research will influence future urban development, especially in very hot or cold climates.
AI leader SenseTime is the first company to join the MIT Intelligence Quest since its launch, writes Xinhua editor Xiang Bo. “As the largest provider of AI algorithms in China, we are very excited to work with MIT to lead global AI research into the next frontier,” said Xu Li, CEO of SenseTime.
David Grossman of Popular Mechanics writes about AutoSaw, a system developed by CSAIL researchers that assists in custom build carpentry projects. The system is designed “to split the difference between machine-built quality and unique customization” and requires human assembly after the pieces are cut, explains Grossman.