The Associated Press reports that NASA’s Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite took off from Vandenberg Air Force Base Saturday. The mission, headed by Professor Dara Entekhabi, is meant to improve flood forecasts and drought monitoring.
CBS News reporter William Harwood discusses NASA’s Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite, which will measure moisture levels in soil around the world, with Prof. Dara Entekhabi. Entekhabi explains, “through measurements SMAP can make, we can test and improve models that we use for atmospheric weather prediction and climate change projections."
In an article for MedPage Today, Shara Yurkiewicz writes about a new MIT study showing that high demand for desirable medical residencies keeps salaries low. Prof. Nikhil Agarwal explains that, “even if salary negotiation was allowed, the salaries of medical residents would be quite low compared with physician assistants or nurse practitioners.”
Hashim Sarkis, dean of the MIT School of Architecture and Planning, speaks on Boston Public Radio about Boston architecture and the future of urban planning. “Architects have proven time and time again the power of architecture in helping us imagine the future,” says Sarkis.
Washington Post reporter Danielle Paquette writes about a new study, co-authored by MIT Professor Frank Levy, examining the value of a college degree. The researchers found that the “investment of a college education is generally better for those who graduate — and on time — from a school with healthier resources.”
In this video, Robert Lee Hotz of The Wall Street Journal discusses how MIT researchers have found that individuals in an anonymous data set can be identified using just a few pieces of information about their shopping habits. “We're really being shadowed by our credit cards,” Lee Hotz explains.
A new MIT study examining anonymous credit card data shows that individuals can be identified using just a few pieces of information, writes Wall Street Journal reporter Robert Lee Hotz. “This touches on the fundamental limit of anonymizing data,” explains Yves-Alexandre de Montjoye.
In a piece for Scientific American, Larry Greenemeier writes about new MIT research showing how easy it is to identify individuals in anonymous data sets. “We have to think harder and reform how we approach data protection and go beyond anonymity, which is very difficult to achieve given the trail of information we all leave digitally,” says Yves-Alexandre de Montjoye.
MIT researchers were able to accurately identify individuals in an anonymous data set by looking at the date and location of four credit card transactions, reports Boer Deng for Nature. “Even when researchers only had estimates of time and location of a purchase to within a few days or neighbo[u]rhood blocks, they could still identify cardholders,” explains Deng.
Chris Berdik writes for Boston Magazine about Professor Sara Seager’s search for Earth-like exoplanets. “I believe that in our lifetime we will be able to take children to a dark sky,” said Seager. “And point to a star and say, That star has a planet with signs of life in its atmosphere.”
Rebecca Jacobson writes for the PBS NewsHour about how MIT researchers have found that individuals in anonymous data sets can be identified using just a few pieces of outside information. The researchers found that there is a “94 percent chance of tracking all of your purchases with three pieces of extra information.”
Seth Borenstein and Jack Gillum write for the Associated Press about how MIT researchers have found individuals can be identified by examining a few purchases from anonymous credit card data. "We are showing that the privacy we are told that we have isn't real," explains Pentland.
MIT researchers have found that anonymous individuals in a data set can be identified using a few pieces of information, reports Natasha Singer for The New York Times. “We ought to rethink and reformulate the way we think about data protection,” explains Yves-Alexandre de Montjoye.
Rachel Feltman writes for The Washington Post about how MIT researchers have developed new technology that can amplify microscopic movements invisible to the human eye. “MIT researchers recently published a study in which they extracted intelligible audio by analyzing the movements of a nearby bag of chips,” Feltman writes.
David Wessel reports for The Wall Street Journal on new research by Professor Frank Levy that indicates that while for most students college is still a good investment, it can be a risky move for some, in particular males who do not attend elite schools. The researchers conclude that college is "a stepping stone, not a ticket, to the middle class."