MIT researchers have genetically engineered E.coli bacteria to replicate light and create images in a range of different colors, reports Alexandra-Simon Lewis for Wired. In the future, the technique could be used to make “bacteria produce more complex molecules on-demand by using light to stop and start chemical reactions.”
In an article for The Boston Globe, Prof. Charles Fine and Research Affiliate David Gonsalvez examine how to improve the City of Boston’s transportation infrastructure, which could help increase the region’s livability and foster economic growth. Fine and Gonsalvez note that “a city’s mobility architecture can have a huge impact on its economy.”
Washington Post reporter Travis Andrews writes that MIT researchers have created a workout suit with ventilating flaps embedded with bacteria that automatically open and close in response to sweat. Andrews explains that “as the bacteria relaxes and shrinks into itself, the cells pull away from the wearer, opening the flaps and letting fresh air flood in.”
U.S. News & World Report’s Visi Tilak spotlights NuVu Studios, a school started by MIT graduates to create more hands-on learning experiences for middle and high school students. MIT alumna and NuVu co-founder Saba Ghole explains that students use “curiosity and creativity to explore new ideas, and make their concepts come to life.”
Reuters reporter Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss writes that researchers from the MIT Media Lab will be collaborating with the Toyota Research Institute on exploring the use of blockchain technology to aid in the development of driverless cars. Chavez-Dreyfuss writes that the project is aimed at enabling “businesses and consumers to securely share data on testing and driving.”
New Scientist reporter Andy Coghlan writes that MIT researchers have engineered bacteria to produce full-color, living photocopies. Coghlan explains that the technique could “enable finer control of the bacteria grown in fermenters to churn out vital drugs, antibodies and materials. Another application could be using light to sculpt living biomaterials, such as tissues and organs for transplant.”
MIT researchers have developed a workout suit with vents that are triggered by bacteria to automatically open in response to sweat, reports Rob Verger for Popular Science. Verger explains that the researchers hope to apply the technology to create clothing that can, “produce a pleasant smell when you sweat.”
In an article for The Hill, Prof. Valerie Karplus highlights the economic risks of ignoring the emerging market for clean energy. Karplus writes that, “abandoning the fight against climate change…will take away U.S. jobs.”
Writing for The Wall Street Journal about businesses investing in green power, Brian Baskin highlights how MIT joined forces with two Boston-based organizations to buy power from a solar farm in North Carolina. “We saw it as an opportunity where we could set an example,” says Joe Higgins, MIT's director of infrastructure business operations.
CSAIL researchers have developed a new system that allows camera-equipped drones to maintain certain framing parameters of an aerial shot, Sean O’Kane for The Verge. O’Kane explains that the system allows directors to define basic parameters of a shot and to alter the “settings on the fly and the drone will adjust how it’s filming accordingly.”
Susan Hockfield, president emerita of MIT, has been named to U.S. News & World Report’s 2017 STEM Leadership Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame honors leaders, “who have achieved measurable results in the science, technology, engineering and math fields; challenged established processes and conventional wisdom; inspired a shared vision; and motivated aspiring STEM professionals.”
CSAIL researchers have developed a system that allows robots to teach one another learned skills, reports Grace Williams for FOX News. Williams explains that the system, “gives non-coders the ability to teach robots various tasks using information about manipulating objects in a single demonstration. These skills can then be passed along to other robots that move in different ways.”
Dr. Phil Erickson of the Haystack Observatory speaks with Sarah Fecht of Popular Science about a study he co-authored showing that radio waves may protect the Earth’s atmosphere from space weather. “In the first hours to a couple of days into a solar storm, the waves seem to halt the electrons from coming in further,” says Erickson.
Daily Mail reporter Colin Fernandez writes that MIT researchers have developed a self-ventilating workout suit that can help keep athletes cool and dry while they exercise. Fernandez explains that the suit is embedded with harmless microbes that contract when they sense heat or cold, triggering flaps in the suit to open and close.
Wall Street Journal reporter James Hagerty writes about the life and legacy of Henri Termeer, a life member of the MIT Corporation known for his work as a pioneering leader in the field of biotechnology.