MIT researchers have developed a system that uses terahertz waves to read the pages of a closed book, reports Michael Casey for the AP. Research scientist Barmak Heshmat explains that the system works better than X-rays, as “it can contrast between the blank paper and the part that has ink.”
MIT has been named one of the top 10 universities in the country by U.S. News & World Report, writes Dylan McGuiness for The Boston Globe.
Popular Science reporter Sarah Chodosh writes that MIT researchers have developed a strategy to deliver beneficial bacteria to the GI tract. The researchers used layers of different sugars "to coat individual cells of Bacillus coagulans, which is used to treat irritable bowel syndrome."
Writing for CBS News, Charles Choi explores a system developed by MIT researchers that can identify letters in a closed book. The system could be used to examine ancient books or to “scan through large amounts of documents without having to mechanically separate the pages, which could be useful for libraries, banks and others,” says research scientist Barmak Heshmat.
During Bloomberg’s Benchmark podcast, Prof. Erik Brynjolfsson expresses optimism about the impact of technology on the U.S. economy. Brynjolfsson says that while he is “concerned because it's not automatic that those technologies are going to benefit everybody or benefit people more broadly,” he would like "to see the U.S. and other countries work toward shared prosperity.”
MIT scientists have developed a device that can evaluate the ripeness of an apple by measuring the glow of chlorophyll in the fruit’s skin, writes Jesse Emspak for CBS News. “Such a gadget could make a big difference for apple distributors, who sometimes have to guess when deciding where to send their stock,” explains Emspak.
MIT neuroscientists have identified two regions of the brain involved in creating panoramic memories, writes Tara Pattilachan for The Huffington Post. “Our understanding of our environment is largely shaped by our memory for what’s currently out of sight,” says postdoc Caroline Robertson of the importance of understanding how our brains develop panoramic memories.
Salon reporter Scott Eric Kaufman writes that MIT researchers have created a system that can read the pages of a closed book and could be used to examine manuscripts too fragile to handle. “The system works by shooting pulses of radiation from a terahertz camera and measuring how long it takes for them to bounce back."
CSAIL Director Daniela Rus speaks with Peter High of Forbes about the lab’s research, history and mission. Rus notes that CSAIL researchers are focused on "inventing the future of computing. We want to use computer science to tackle major challenges in fields like healthcare and education.”
MIT researchers have developed a new computational imaging technique that can read closed books, reports G. Clay Whittaker for Popular Science. The technique could be useful for “rare book research, where opening a book may be impossible due to damage, or not worth the risk of damage.”
Prof. Earl Miller speaks with Phyllis Korkki of The New York Times about why aging makes learning new skills more difficult. “Your mind’s bandwidth is smaller. You learn at a slower rate because less information is getting in,” explains Prof. Miller. To make learning easier, Miller says it's “important to keep yourself cognitively engaged.”
MIT researchers have developed a handheld sensor that can determine the ripeness of a piece of fruit, reports Deborah Netburn for The Los Angeles Times. The new device could “help farmers determine the optimal time to harvest fruit, or help them rapidly sort apples in storage facilities based on their ripeness.”
Prof. Robert Langer talks to Jessica Harris from NPR about his research on tissue engineering and drug delivery, the commercialization of his discoveries, and the many companies he has started. Langer says he started his lab based off his desire to improve people’s lives by conducting research “at the interface of chemical engineering and medicine.”
In a study of students offered $100 in bitcoin, MIT researchers found that early users were more likely to not use new technology if there were delays in accessing it, writes Kevin Lewis for The Boston Globe. The researchers found early adopters, “were more likely to cash out of their bitcoin if they had been delayed in getting it.”
Prof. Rosalind Williams reviews James Gleick’s new book about the history of time travel for The Washington Post. Prof. Williams writes that Gleick “gathers an engaging cast of characters who wrote these stories or otherwise explored the possibilities of time travel.”