Professor Jim Walsh writes for WBUR about Israeli strategy in the current Gaza crisis, cautioning that continuous, periodic military offensives do not constitute a viable solution. “A political solution is the only realistic path to peace and stability for Israel and the region,” writes Walsh.
Liz Stinson writes for Wired about a new phase-changing material developed by MIT researchers that could be used to develop squishy, shape-shifting robots. “Hosoi envisions this principle could ultimately be beneficial in the medical field, where soft, deforming objects could easily move through the body,” Stinson reports.
Wired reporter Nick Stockton reports on Prof. Pedro Reis’ work developing a morphable surface that could be used to increase the efficiency and speed of vehicles. The surface can, “wrinkle into a dimpled pattern similar to a golf ball’s, with similar aerodynamic properties.”
“There are now 108 known places in the genome which point us towards genes that are involved in causation. And, as you suggest, while most are in the nervous system, some of them, very intriguingly, point to the immune system as being involved,” Dr. Steven Hyman says of the new findings on schizophrenia during an interview with the PBS Newshour.
“I think this kind of technology could have a major effect and revolutionize various aspects of medicine, including birth control,” Professor Bob Langer says in an interview with Mallika Marshall of WBZ about technology from the biotech firm MicroCHIPS that could allow for implantable, remote-controlled, birth control.
In a piece for The Guardian, Charles Darwent looks back at the life and work of Professor Emeritus Otto Peine, the former director of the MIT Center for Advanced Visual Studies. Peine, who died last week in Berlin at the age of 86, was one of the pioneers of the ‘Zero’ art movement in postwar Germany.
Thomas Kochan speaks with Sasha Pfeiffer and Anthony Brooks of WBUR about Market Basket employees striking on behalf of ousted CEO Arthur T. Demoulas. Kochan argues the protests offer important lessons to corporate America.
Professor Kenneth Oye speaks with WBUR’s Sacha Pfeiffer about his recent research that details a new way to alter the genomes of organisms and the need for a public discussion about the potential implications and benefits of this new technology.
“A new diode laser that can cut metal may soon find its way onto the market, thanks to a few former MIT scientists looking to commercialize their research,” writes Brooke Hays for UPI about Lincoln Laboratory spinout TeraDiode’s multi-kilowatt diode laser system.
Boston Magazine reporter Steve Annear writes about a new robot, designed by MIT undergraduate Patrick McCabe, that can play the game Connect Four. “It’s kind of a magical thing with computer science and technology, being able to leverage that to actually make something smarter than you are,” said McCabe of the device, which can beat its creator.
Stephen Dowling writes for the BBC News about the legacy of former MIT professor of electrical engineering, Harold Edgerton. Edgerton’s pioneering photography work captured detailed images of moments occurring at speeds too high for the human eye to detect.
Kristine Wong reports for Takepart, a division of Participant Media, that "MIT scientists have invented a simple but ingenious device" to generate steam. Gang Chen, who heads MIT's Department of Mechanical Engineering, explains what makes it work: "First, it’s black in color, so it absorbs the light very effectively. Secondly, it’s porous to allow water to come in. Third, it’s insulating, so it absorbs sunlight and turns it into heat."
Professor Thomas Kochan writes for WBUR’s Cognoscenti about the Market Basket grocery store chain employees striking on behalf of the recently ousted CEO and the lessons corporate America can take from the case. “This type of broad-based, collective action is unprecedented in modern U.S. labor history,” writes Kochan.
Writing for DNews, Tracy Staedter highlights a new spongelike structure developed by MIT's Gang Chen and Hadi Ghasemi to turn sunlight into steam. "The advance could one day lead to an efficient, inexpensive and emission-free way for creating steam that could be used to not only generate steam for energy but also for desalination and sterilization," reports Staedter.
In a piece for The New York Times, Claire Cain Miller writes about a new study showing how the recession accelerated the displacement of midwage jobs. Miller notes research by Professor David Autor highlighting the growing polarization of the workforce.