Harnessing nature’s solar cells
Photovoltaic panels made from plant material could become a cheap, easy alternative to traditional solar cells.
MIT to launch Institute for Medical Engineering and Science
Based in School of Engineering but spanning all of MIT, IMES will be led by Arup K. Chakraborty.
How spider webs achieve their strength
It’s not just the strength of the silk itself, a new study finds; the silk’s way of stretching and the structure of the whole web help it resist damage.
MIT faculty speak at the World Economic Forum in Davos
Talks explore the mind/machine interface and the science of predicting the economy, among other topics.
Metabolic errors can spell doom for DNA
New study could explain why variant enzymes boost the risk of cancer for some people.
Viruses con bacteria into working for them
Coevolution of guest and host lets a virus control its host’s machinery.
Solving energy problems, one molecule at a time
Materials scientist explores new possibilities in topics from molecules to rooftop solar panels.
Third book in new MIT Press Engineering Systems Book Series now available
Engineering a Safer World: Systems Thinking Applied to Safety by Nancy Leveson
Robots go head to head, 250 miles above Earth
Third annual Zero Robotics competition pits robots against each other on the International Space Station.
MIT faculty see promise in American manufacturing
Study group is tackling hard questions about what it will take to stoke renewal.
