Exotic black holes could be a byproduct of dark matter
In the first quintillionth of a second, the universe may have sprouted microscopic black holes with enormous amounts of nuclear charge, MIT physicists propose.
The unexpected origins of a modern finance tool
Discounting calculations are ubiquitous today — thanks partly to the English clergy who spread them amid turmoil in the 1600s, an MIT scholar shows.
Reducing carbon emissions from long-haul trucks
MIT researchers show a promising plan for using clean-burning hydrogen in place of the diesel fuel now used in most freight-transport trucks.
Mouth-based touchpad enables people living with paralysis to interact with computers
The startup Augmental allows users to operate phones and other devices using their tongue, mouth, and head gestures.
Advocating for science funding on Capitol Hill
During the MIT Science Policy Initiative’s Congressional Visit Days, PhD students and postdocs met with legislators to share expertise and advocate for science agency funding.
New technique reveals how gene transcription is coordinated in cells
By capturing short-lived RNA molecules, scientists can map relationships between genes and the regulatory elements that control them.
Physicists create five-lane superhighway for electrons
The work could lead to ultra-efficient electronics and more.
All in the family
New studies show that caste and ethnic identity play an outsize role in how business interacts with government in developing countries.
Ultrasound offers a new way to perform deep brain stimulation
MIT engineers’ implantable ImPULS device could become an alternative to the electrodes now used to treat Parkinson’s and other diseases.
Ten with MIT connections win 2024 Hertz Foundation Fellowships
The fellowships provide five years of funding to doctoral students in applied science, engineering, and mathematics who have “the extraordinary creativity and principled leadership necessary to tackle problems others can’t solve.”
Helping robots grasp the unpredictable
MIT CSAIL’s frugal deep-learning model infers the hidden physical properties of objects, then adapts to find the most stable grasps for robots in unstructured environments like homes and fulfillment centers.
“Rosetta Stone” of cell signaling could expedite precision cancer medicine
An atlas of human protein kinases enables scientists to map cell signaling pathways with unprecedented speed and detail.
A technique for more effective multipurpose robots
With generative AI models, researchers combined robotics data from different sources to help robots learn better.
Microscopic defects in ice influence how massive glaciers flow, study shows
The findings should help scientists refine predictions of future sea-level rise.
Scientists identify mechanism behind drug resistance in malaria parasite
SMART researchers find a cellular process called transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA) modification influences the malaria parasite’s ability to develop resistance.