For the second time, scientists have detected gravitational waves produced by the collision of two black holes, reports Irene Klotz for Reuters. “We are starting to get a glimpse of the kind of new astrophysical information that can only come from gravitational-wave detectors,” says David Shoemaker, who leads Advanced LIGO.
In an article for New Scientist, Lisa Grossman writes that for the second time the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) has detected gravitational waves. “This gives us confidence,” says MIT research scientist Salvatore Vitale. “It was not just a lucky accident. Seeing a second one tells us clearly that there is a population of black holes there.”
Prof. Dennis Frenchman spoke to Lisa Prevost of The New York Times about the possibilities for development in South Boston’s Seaport. Students in Frenchman’s real estate development studio program envisioned “inspiring visions of robotics production spaces beneath apartment houses, waterfront ‘maker’ spaces, like breweries and chocolatiers, and co-working spaces for entrepreneurs."
Prof. Rainer Weiss speaks with Clara Moskowitz of Scientific American about why he is excited by the public’s reaction to the successful detection of gravitational waves. Weiss says that for him one of the most gratifying things is if he and his colleagues can help “make the argument that science is something everybody gets benefit from.”
Prof. Charles Stewart III speaks with NPR’s Pam Fessler about voter confidence in the American electoral system. "Ultimately the legitimacy of government rests on the belief among the losers that it was a fair fight," says Stewart.
Jarrod Goentzel and Fredrik Eng Larsson of the Center for Transportation and Logistics write for The Wall Street Journal that companies seeking greater supply chain visibility must quantify the benefits of such information. They write that “to make a clear case for investment in visibility systems, companies must focus on the tools that transform data into structural improvements.”
Popular Science reporter Mary Beth Griggs writes that MIT researchers have developed an algorithm that can learn how to predict sound. The algorithm “can watch a silent movie and create sounds that go along with the motions on screen. It's so good, it even fooled people into thinking they were actual, recorded sounds from the environment.”
Writing for the Financial Times, Clive Cookson reports that MIT researchers have developed an artificial intelligence system capable of producing realistic sounds for silent movies. Cookson explains that another application for the system could be “to help robots understand objects’ physical properties and interact better with their surroundings."
Andrea Shea reports for WBUR that researchers from the MIT Media Lab and the Berklee College of Music have started a new initiative aimed at tackling ownership, licensing and distribution rights within the music industry. Shea explains that the initiative is focused on “laying the groundwork for a shared, open database of ownership rights.”
Washington Post reporter Matt McFarland writes that MIT researchers have created an algorithm that can produce realistic sounds. “The findings are an example of the power of deep learning,” explains McFarland. “With deep learning, a computer system learns to recognize patterns in huge piles of data and applies what it learns in useful ways.”
Washington Post reporter Rachel Feltman writes that astronomers have observed a black hole consuming cold gas. Feltman notes that “this is the first time a black hole has been seen eating such a refreshing meal: Scientists previously had only observed black holes eating slow, steady meals of hot gas shed by the spiraling galaxies they call home.”
A new study co-authored by researchers at the Broad Institute examines how exposure to microbes during childhood can impact the development of immune systems, reports Elissa Strauss for Slate. The researchers found that “while our individual habits are a factor in autoimmune disorders, they’re hardly the only cause.”
TIME reporter Jeffrey Kluger writes that MIT researchers have designed an algorithm to produce an image of a black hole. Kluger explains that the algorithm will allow researchers “visualize the event horizon that surrounds the black hole at the center of our own galaxy.”
A study co-authored by Prof. Karen Zheng examines how fear that items will go out of stock can motivate shoppers to pay full price, increasing stores’ profits, reports CNBC reporter Susie Poppick. “It turns out people tend to believe certain products will be sold faster or sooner than they actually are,” explains Zheng.
A team of astronomers, including MIT Prof. Michael McDonald, has observed a black hole feasting on cold gas. BBC News reports that the team “discovered a supermassive black hole and saw clouds speeding towards it at 800,000 mph. The observation supports a theory black holes feed on clouds of cold gas.”