Steve Annear writes for Boston Magazine about a cybersecurity contest between students from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and the University of Cambridge. “The competition is part of the two allied nations’ efforts to team up and improve the cyber security infrastructure worldwide, and better respond to cyber incidents and threats,” writes Annear.
Financial Times reporter Kiran Stacey writes about how in an effort to combat global cyberattacks, students from MIT and the University of Cambridge will face off in a cybersecurity competition this fall. The event will be “a test of cyber skills lasting several days,” Stacey reports.
MIT researchers have discovered why rainfall produces such a distinctive smell, reports Rachel Feltman for The Washington Post. The researchers examined high-speed footage of raindrops and found “when rain hits the ground [it] may be sending out signature smells that get carried away on the wind."
MIT scientists have uncovered the mechanism behind why rainfall can produce such a distinctive scent, writes Macrina Cooper-White for The Huffington Post. The researchers found that when rain hits a porous surface, tiny bubbles form. When the bubbles burst, they release aerosols, which carry the “rainlike aroma” into the air.
In an article for Science, Jocelyn Kaiser writes about how Prof. Robert Weinberg’s company, Verastem Inc., is starting a new round of clinical trials to test the theory that by targeting cancer stem cells, the disease can be controlled.
Rebecca Jacobson of the PBS NewsHour reports that MIT researchers have developed a new technique to enlarge tissue samples, allowing scientists to create high-resolution images of specimens. Prof. Ed Boyden explains that “now you can see tiny structures with your own eyes.”
Carolyn Johnson of The Boston Globe writes that MIT researchers have developed a new way to enlarge microscopic lab samples to allow for more-detailed imaging of brain cells. The new technique “may offer an inexpensive way for people to examine fine cellular structures at a detailed level using off-the-shelf ingredients.”
A team of MIT researchers has devised a new method for obtaining super-high resolution images from lab microscopes, writes Malcolm Ritter for the AP. The researchers found that by permeating a tissue sample with a specialized version of sodium polyacrylate they were able to enlarge the sample, making them easier to image.
Using high-speed cameras, MIT researchers have captured how the smell of rain is released into the air, the BBC reports. “The results may help to explain how some soil-based diseases are spread and the authors are now studying whether contaminants such as E. coli can be spread significantly via rainfall,” the BBC explains.
Sloan Lecturer Andrew Yap writes for WBUR’s Cognoscenti about how managers can avoid putting too much or too little stress on their employees. “Cultivating a work environment of energized employees thriving on ‘just the right amount of stress’ requires a deft touch,” Yap explains.
The MIT Innovation Initiative will welcome former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick as a visiting innovation fellow this spring, writes Steve Annear for Boston Magazine.
Dennis Keohane of BetaBoston writes that Gov. Deval Patrick will be joining the MIT Innovation Initiative as a visiting innovation fellow. “The role entails Patrick taking part in a variety of events on MIT’s Cambridge campus, engaging with students and faculty on issues such as policymaking, entrepreneurship, and innovation-based growth,” writes Keohane.
Professor Erik Brynjolfsson speaks with Tom Ashbrook of WBUR’s On Point about the future of the American workforce as new technologies automate jobs traditionally performed by people. “People get a lot of value out of work beyond the paycheck,” says Brynjolfsson. “We’re looking at ways to keep people working.”
According to the Associated Press, “former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has signed on to be a visiting fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.” Patrick, who left office after two terms, will be joining MIT’s Innovation Initiative.
Former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick has accepted a position as a visiting fellow with the MIT Innovation initiative, reports Matt Stout of the Boston Herald. “We want to think through with the governor, what are the big issues shaping the innovation economy?” says Professor Fiona Murray, associate dean for innovation.