In the Media

Dr. Francis Collins, the director of the National Institutes of Health, spotlights Professor Alice Ting and her work developing a new technique that can, “produce a detailed molecular fingerprint of every compartment of a cell.”

Dr. Joshua Hartshorne of MIT’s Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences explores new work by Professor Joshua Tenenbaum and his colleagues that suggests the way humans make predictions about the physical world is similar to how scenarios are tested in computer simulations.

“Most inflationary models, almost all, predict that inflation should become eternal,” said Professor Alan Guth in an article published by Salon. New research has found evidence to support the theory of inflation, which Guth hypothesized in 1980.

“These microbes of death were so small, that 1 billion of them could fit in a thimble-full of ocean sediment, and yet, they were almost responsible for killing off all the life on our planet,” writes Los Angeles Times reporter Deborah Netburn about new research from MIT that indicates microbes may be responsible for the end-Permian mass extinction.

“A microbial feeding frenzy may have fueled the biggest mass extinction in Earth's history,” writes Tia Ghose for CBS News about new research by Professor Daniel Rothman and Gregory Fournier that suggests microbes may be responsible for the Earth’s largest mass extinction.

Thomas Edsall of The New York Times cites research by Professor David Autor that indicates a correlation between a rise in trade with China and a decrease in employment in certain sectors of the U.S. economy.

Washington Post reporter Fred Barbash highlights new MIT research that shows that a microbe called “Methanosarcina” triggered the largest mass extinction in Earth’s history.

New York Times reporter Phyllis Korkki examines an algorithm developed by Professor Andrei Kirilenko that can help determine whether federal regulators are taking public comments into account before they adopt new rules.

Reporting for NPR’s Morning Edition, Christopher Joyce features new work by Professor Daniel Rothman that indicates the world’s largest mass extinction may have been caused by microbes.

Los Angeles Times columnist Michael Hiltzik looks at whether conservatives or liberals are more likely to contribute to charity. In his column, Hiltzik cites an MIT study that shows that while political affiliation does not provide a sound prediction of charitable giving, there are distinctions in giving between the two main political parties.

During a HuffPost Live panel discussion, Professor Fiona Murray speaks about her new research that shows venture capitalists prefer attractive men to women when funding new startups. In addition to Murray, the panel featured leading female entrepreneurs and journalists.

MIT Game Lab research affiliate Abe Stein writes for The Atlantic about the central role of home plate in baseball. Stein argues that home plate’s unique physical characteristics, role in the game and symbolism in popular culture and American history are often overlooked in discussions of the sport.

MIT researchers have found evidence that methane-producing microbes may have triggered the largest mass extinction in Earth’s history, reports Will Dunham for Reuters.

Nature reporter Chelsea Ward reports that a team from MIT led by Professor Daniel Rothman has found that, “Methane-belching microbes may have been behind the 'Great Dying', a mass-extinction event that wiped out some 90% of all species on Earth about 252 million years ago.”

The Guardian highlights new research by Professor Daniel Rothman that suggests microbes may be responsible for the end-Permian extinction. As reported by The Guardian, “Analysis of geological carbon deposits reveals a significant boost in levels of carbon-containing gases – either carbon dioxide or methane – at the time of the mass extinction.”