Stepping out of their comfort zone
Eleven students will challenge themselves at MIT in the MPC-CMSE Summer Scholars program.
![“[T]oday, if you want to write a program, you go and bring in these huge frameworks and these huge pieces of functionality that you then glue together, and you write a little code to get them to interact with each other. If you don’t understand what that big framework is doing, you’re not even going to know where your program is going to start executing,” says Armando Solar-Lezama.](/sites/default/files/styles/term_page__news_article/public/images/201605/MIT-Symbolic-Execution.jpg?itok=A5FxILHQ)
Automatic bug finder
System could make complex analysis practical for programs that import huge swaths of code.
Maria Zuber elected as chair of the National Science Board
For the first time, women will hold both of the board’s top leadership positions.
Light can “heal” defects in some solar cells
Defects in some new electronic materials can be removed by making ions move under illumination.
New nanoparticle catalysts could reduce need for precious metals
Process from MIT provides improved reactivity with much less platinum.
Study pinpoints timing of oxygen’s first appearance in Earth’s atmosphere
Beginning 2.33 billion years ago, atmospheric oxygen built up in just 10 million years.
Researchers find unexpected magnetic effect
Combining two thin-film materials yields surprising room-temperature magnetism.
Tracking Greenland’s ice melt with seismic waves
Technique uses vibrations generated by ocean waves to monitor ice sheet’s seasonal changes.
Higher coal use in Asia could increase water stress
Aerosol emissions would slow warming but suppress rainfall.
Mircea Dincă wins National Science Foundation's Alan T. Waterman Award
Chemistry professor receives the NSF's highest honor for an outstanding researcher under the age of 35.
Robert Birgeneau to receive Vannevar Bush award
Former MIT physics professor and dean of science recognized by the National Science Board.
Self-driving cars, meet rubber duckies
“Duckietown” class at Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab teaches autonomy, aims to become global research platform.
How to make cities more energy efficient
Retrofitting a small portion of buildings would have big impact on cities’ carbon emissions.
Two MIT faculty win 2016 NSF CAREER Awards
James Swan and Konstantin Turitsyn are among 160 young scientists and engineers poised to explore new frontiers and inspire a future generation of scholars.
How crispy is your bonbon?
New theory, inspired by chocolate coatings, predicts thickness of thin shells.