Lisa Grossman of New Scientist writes about research by Professor Christine Ortiz and graduate student Ling Li on mollusk shells. The researchers’ findings on the structure of mollusk shells could have potential applications in developing more resilient armor, Grossman reports.
Steve Annear of Boston Magazine profiles an independent group at MIT that is collecting paper cranes for a planned memorial commemorating the one-year anniversary of MIT Police Officer Sean Collier’s death.
Writing for Slate, Elizabeth Weingarten looks at closing the gender gap in the STEM fields. As part of her reporting, Weingarten highlights the study Professor Nancy Hopkins led into gender biases at MIT, and how that evaluation made it easier for women to pursue a career at MIT while also raising children.
Xinhuanet highlights a new system developed by MIT Professor Marin Soljačić and graduate student Yichen Shen that allows for filtering light waves based on direction. This research could have major implications for solar energy technology.
In a USA Today article about embeddable technology, David Kender features work by MIT Professor Robert Langer that could allow osteoporosis patients to receive their medication via an implantable device rather than a painful injection.
New Scientist reporter Jacob Aron reports on how MIT researchers have developed a new system that filters light waves based on the direction they are traveling. The system could be used to take photographs of faint objects, Aron writes.
The Guardian reports on new MIT research that shows that adding carbon nanotubes to plants can enhance the natural photosynthesis process. The bionic plants could be used to harvest sunlight or detect environmental pollutants.
In a CNN article about how the human brain makes moral judgments, reporter Elizabeth Landau highlights research by MIT Professor Rebecca Saxe into how people with autism weigh intentions and outcomes differently.
In a piece written for Scientific American, Professor Andrew Lo and Dr. Roger Stein write about their belief that financial engineering can help cure cancer. By restructuring investment properties, the researchers believe they can encourage investment in the pharmaceutical industry, providing much needed funding for the development of new drugs.
In a piece for PBS’ Idea Lab, Rodrigo Davies, a researcher at the MIT Center for Civic Media, writes about a new bill in Hawaii that supports civic crowdfunding to raise funds for school maintenance and repair.
Writing for NBC News, Devin Coldewey reports that Raluca Popa, a graduate student in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, has developed a new Web development tool that can make online services more secure.
“Living materials based on bacteria and grown in a Boston lab could point to a greener way of manufacturing,” writes BBC News reporter Roland Pease of new MIT work to develop living materials.
Smithsonian Magazine reporter Tuan C. Nguyen highlights MIT startup WiTricity, which is developing new technology for powering electronic devices wirelessly.
New Scientist reporter Stuart Clark explores the origins of the theory of cosmic inflation, which explains the rapid expansion of the universe. Clark explains that while MIT Professor Alan Guth is widely credited as the father of inflation, his work sparked widespread interest and a plethora of different theories about how the universe could have expanded.
A graduate student at the MIT Media Lab has developed a new technique to refocus a photograph after it has been captured using an inexpensive camera filter, reports Nate Lanxon in Wired.