Writing for The Washington Post, Dominic Basulto reports on how the synthetic biology work at MIT startup Ginkgo Bioworks has been inspired by computer programming. “Ginkgo is essentially programming organisms, getting them to behave the same way as one might a piece of computer code,” explains Basulto.
Prof. John Hansman speaks with AP reporter Rodrique Ngowi following the crash of a Germanwings flight about how it is it unlikely that a similar situation could occur on an aircraft operated by an American carrier. U.S. safety procedures require that two people to be in the airline’s cockpit “in case the remaining pilot becomes incapacitated," Hansman explains.
The ACM has awarded the A.M. Turing Award, widely regarded as the “Nobel Prize in Computing,” to CSAIL researcher and adjunct professor Michael Stonebraker, reports Barb Darrow for Fortune. Stonebraker is “famous for arguing that database is not a one-size-fits-all category."
Michael Stonebraker, a principal investigator at the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab and an adjunct professor at MIT, has won the A.M. Turning Award for his work with database management systems, reports Nidhi Subbaraman for BetaBoston. “This is every computer scientist’s lifetime dream, and it came true for me,” said Stonebraker.
By combining two kinds of photovoltaic material, MIT researchers have developed a more effective solar cell, reports Umair Irfan for Scientific American. Irfan explains that combining the two materials, “generates a higher voltage than either of the layers could do by themselves.”
MIT startup LiquiGlide, which has developed a coating that makes the inside of a bottle slippery, has signed an agreement with the glue-maker Elmer’s, Jim Festante reports for Slate in a new video. The video highlights how the LiquiGlide coating makes it possible for liquids like ketchup, toothpaste and glue to slide right out of the bottle, reducing waste.
In a piece for The Huffington Post, Zeynep Ilyaz explains how Prof. Sangeeta Bhatia serves as an inspiration to her, citing her research advances in biotech and medicine, and her mentorship of women pursuing careers in STEM fields. “Dr. Bhatia is constantly looking for the next groundbreaking discovery in health, which makes her an excellent role model for girls and women,” Ilyaz writes.
Mo Costandi reports for The Guardian on how Prof. Polina Anikeeva has developed a new technique to activate brain cells using nanoparticles. Costandi explains that, “research like this may eventually allow for wireless and minimally invasive deep brain stimulation of the human brain.”
LiquiGlide, an MIT startup that produces a slippery coating to help get substances out of bottles, has announced a partnership with glue maker Elmer’s Products, reports Nidhi Subbaraman for BetaBoston. Subbaraman explains that “LiquiGlide’s core technology is a sprayable solid-liquid double-layer,” that prevents liquids from adhering to the walls of containers.
Kenneth Chang writes for The New York Times about LiquiGlide, an MIT startup that has developed a nonstick coating that allows liquids, like ketchup or glue, to slide right out of the bottle. Chang explains that LiquiGlide could have “major environmental payoffs by reducing waste.”
MIT sophomore Maryann Gong has been named the NCAA Division III Women's Track Athlete of the Year. According to The Boston Globe, “Gong is the fifth Engineer to win the award.”
New York Times reporter Jeneen Interlandi examines Dr. Emile Bruneau’s work studying regional conflicts to better understand how human empathy works. Bruneau explains that he felt that “the most relevant level of analysis for generating social change was the psychological level.”
In a piece for The Huffington Post, Jon Hartley writes about The Billion Prices Project, an initiative started by Profs. Roberto Rigobon and Alberto Cavallo to measure daily inflation. “The BPP daily inflation indices cover more than 70 countries and use daily price fluctuations of over five million items sold in over 300 online retailers,” Hartley explains.
CBC News reports that MIT researchers have detected a circular ring of debris circulating the minor planet Chiron. “If true, Chiron would join Chariklo as the second centaur with such a halo. It would also become only the sixth ringed body in Earth's solar system,” CBC reports.
A study co-authored by Professor Matt Marx indicates that Silicon Valley’s success may be due California’s prohibition of non-compete clauses, reports Natalie Kitroeff for Bloomberg News. The researchers explain that, “Policymakers who sanction the use of non-competes could be inadvertently creating regional disadvantage as far as retention of knowledge workers is concerned.”