Researchers involved with the NASA New Horizons mission have uncovered evidence that an ocean of ice water lies beneath Pluto’s heart-shaped basin, reports Irene Klotz for Reuters. Prof. Richard Binzel explains that the findings show that “nature is more creative than we are able to imagine, which is why we go and explore."
Boston Globe reporter Olivia Quintana writes that the NASA New Horizons team, which includes MIT researchers, has collected data that suggests there is a slushy ocean of ice water beneath Pluto’s surface. “I think the big picture is that this is telling us that Pluto is much more complicated, much more fascinating than we ever imagined,” explains Prof. Richard Binzel.
Prof. Susan Lindquist, who conducted research on yeast in an effort to better understand human disease, died on Oct. 27, writes James Hagerty of The Wall Street Journal. “Her studies of deformed proteins have spurred research that may lead to treatments for certain types of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis."
Bryan Marquard writes for The Boston Globe about Prof. Susan Lindquist, one of the most honored scientists in the nation, who died on Oct. 27. “She did not want to do an experiment unless she thought it would deliver deep biological impact and make a difference to the world,” said Dr. Vikram Khurana of Yumanity Therapeutics.
Scientists at MIT and Brown University have discovered the origin of the Orientale basin, the oldest crater on the Moon, according to EFE. The impact of an asteroid 3.8 billion years ago formed a crater that has since “collapsed under the rock fractures and its temperatures forming three concentric rings visible today.”
Prof. Susan Lindquist, a former director of the Whitehead Institute known for her “conceptually daring work with yeast proteins,” died on Oct. 27, writes William Grimes for The New York Times. Her research “demonstrated that protein-folding errors occurred in all species and that biological changes could be passed from one generation to the next through proteins alone.”
A study by MIT researchers is providing more information about how the brain stores and processes social memories, writes Hallie Smith for Boston Magazine. Smith explains that, in the future, the findings may be applicable to autism research and therapy.
STAT reporter Meghana Keshavan speaks with Prof. Guoping Feng about his new research that shows glial cells “very actively participate in direct neuronal function — particularly in the brain areas that control appetite, energy and metabolism.” The findings could help spur the development of weight loss medications.
Ian Sample of The Guardian writes that the Human Cell Atlas project, which will be co-led by the Broad Institute, aims to map the cells in the human body . “This will have a substantial impact on our scientific understanding and as a result, on our ability to diagnose, monitor and treat disease,” says Prof. Aviv Regev.
Researchers from the Broad Institute will co-lead an initiative aimed at mapping and describing every cell in the human body, writes Kate Kelland of Reuters. "We now have the tools to understand what we are composed of, which allows us to learn how our bodies work, and uncover how all these elements malfunction in disease," explains Prof. Aviv Regev.
Adam Piore spotlights Prof. Earl Miller’s research into the mechanisms behind working memory in an article for Discover. “Earl is kind of a rock star,” says Prof. Brad Postle of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “When he says something, a lot more people notice it.”
Prof. Rainer Weiss speaks with Marco Werman of PRI about his childhood, what inspired his interest in science, and black holes. "One of the dreams I would have, had Einstein been still alive, is to tell him about this,” said Weiss, of the successful detection of gravitational waves. “I would have loved to have seen what he would have thought.”
MIT researchers have identified a region of the brain responsible for forming habits, reports Anil Ananthaswamy for New Scientist. The researchers found that when performing an action, the prefrontal cortex, communicates with the striatum. “Over time, input from the prefrontal circuits fades, to be replaced by loops linking the striatum to the sensorimotor cortex,” Ananthaswamy explains.
A letter co-authored by Prof. Kerry Emanuel warns against withdrawing from the Paris climate agreement, writes Chelsea Harvey for The Washington Post. “The U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement would really set back all of our efforts to deal with climate problems,” says Emanuel.
Mercury News reporter Lisa Krieger writes that a letter co-authored by Prof. Kerry Emanuel warns U.S. politicians about the dangers of withdrawing from the Paris climate agreement. “We all reacted with some shock to statements from the Republican platform that would have reversed decades of progress,” said Emanuel. “We felt we had to say something.”