MIT astronomers discover the earliest known flickering quasar
When the universe was just 850 million years old, this voracious black hole was already surprisingly mature, a new study finds.
How Artemis II livestreamed hi-def videos and images from the moon to Earth
This first use of laser communications on a crewed mission at lunar distance was a foundational step to establishing a high-speed internet in deep space.
New propulsion system could make tiny satellites both fast and fuel-efficient
For satellites as small as a briefcase, getting around in space just got a whole lot easier.
MIT students study plasma physics beneath Alaska’s aurora
Student-led expeditions use distributed instruments to observe auroral structures and probe space plasma in real-world conditions.
A new way to spot signs of dark matter
Gravitational waves emitted by colliding black holes may bear imprints of dark matter, which physicists could detect with a new model.
Astronomers pin down the origins of a planetary odd couple
New measurements of a hot Jupiter and its mini-Neptune companion suggest both planets formed surprisingly far away from their host star.
Transforming deep-space signals into cathedral sound
An immersive sound installation at Oulu Cathedral, Finland, co-created by MIT Associate Professor Kiyoshi Masui, transforms more than 4,000 cosmic signals into spatial audio.
Managing traffic in space
Associate Professor Richard Linares is helping satellites safely navigate in increasingly congested orbits.
Waves hit different on other planets
From lazy ripples to towering breakers, waves should vary widely from one planet to another, according to a new model.
Flying at the edge of the stratosphere
MIT students see the Earth's curvature in reborn AeroAstro intro course.
Lincoln Laboratory laser communications terminal launches on historic Artemis II moon mission
High-definition video and data sent from the lunar vicinity to Earth will demonstrate the first use of laser communications on a crewed mission.
Two physicists and a curious host walk into a studio…
On GBH’s new show The Curiosity Desk, MIT LIGO researchers revel in the beauties of fundamental discovery science and MIT astronomers talk planetary defense.
Finding a nanoscale solution to safer spaceflight
Using boron nitride nanotubes, mechanical engineering doctoral student Palak Patel develops materials for space that block dangerous ionizing radiation.
How Joseph Paradiso’s sensing innovations bridge the arts, medicine, and ecology
From early motion-sensing platforms to environmental monitoring, the professor and head of the Program in Media Arts and Sciences has turned decades of cross-disciplinary research into real-world impact.
New catalog more than doubles the number of gravitational-wave detections made by LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA observatories
The latest crop of space-time wobbles includes a variety of heavy, fast-spinning, and lopsided colliding black holes.