How an influx of salt may affect microbial ecosystems
As sea levels rise and saltwater seeps into freshwater, stressed aquatic populations may retain overall growth even as diversity declines, MIT scientists find.
MIT Professor Susumu Tonegawa, renowned molecular biologist and Nobel laureate, dies at 86
Tonegawa made landmark discoveries about how the immune system generates antibody diversity and how the brain forms memories.
Electric fields help guide neural activity, even from moment to moment
A new study adds evidence that electric fields in the brain help to organize and shape underlying neural activity via “ephaptic coupling.”
Ketogenic diets may increase cancer risk in the small intestine
MIT researchers have found that a ketogenic high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet fuels the growth of intestinal tumors.
How visual learning happens in the brain
Scientists find that learning to identify a new object subtly reshapes visual processing in the brain.
Discovery could lead to brighter, more energy-efficient digital displays
Researchers found a simple solution for extending the lifespans of LEDs made from glowing microscopic particles called quantum dots.
Separating logic and language
Neuroscientists find logical reasoning does not involve language-processing parts of the brain.
3 Questions: Searching for new physics with “beauty” particles
Assistant Professor Eluned Smith describes how new LHC data confirm a previously observed tension with the Standard Model, plus what else will be needed to determine whether new physics is at play.
The brain’s internal ruler
A simple brain circuit measures objects’ distance from the body using touch signals from a rodent’s whiskers, MIT scientists find.
Many black holes had past lives, new research shows
Physicists have found signs of colliding black holes that are themselves products of previous black hole smash-ups.
Jesse Thaler named director of the Laboratory for Nuclear Science
The professor of physics and inaugural director of the NSF AI Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Fundamental Interactions will lead LNS and continue his research in particle physics.
Toward a future that preserves benefits of neurotechnology for all
PhD student Rachel Sava, winner of the Envisioning the Future of Computing Prize, explores transformative improvements and dystopian risks of neural technology.
Why are some bacterial genes high in purines?
In certain species of bacteria, the answer lies in shielding RNA transcripts from a quality-control factor called Rho. Understanding the requirements for expressible sequences is critical for expression engineering of therapeutic agents.
Boleslaw Wyslouch steps down as director of Laboratory for Nuclear Science
Wyslouch remains the director of the Bates Research and Engineering Center and will continue research on heavy ion collisions.
The brain’s language network is more extensive than previously thought
A new study reveals that parts of the brain located far from the canonical language-processing centers are also involved in language comprehension.