Susan Solomon named 2026 Tang Prize laureate
The MIT professor’s groundbreaking work on atmospheric chemistry helped lay steps towards recovery of the ozone layer and demonstrated the lasting impacts of carbon emissions on Earth’s climate.
MIT Open Learning reaches all the way to the South Pole
John Della Costa uses OpenCourseWare to engage fellow Antarctica “winterovers” in physics content, and to build community.
Harriet having it all
From Boston to Moscow and across the U.S., Harriet Latham Robinson SM ’61, PhD ’65 has balanced an exciting career at the forefront of molecular biology with family, friends, and adventure.
MIT affiliates win 2026 Hertz Foundation Fellowships
The fellowships in applied sciences, engineering, and mathematics recognize doctoral students who are pursuing solutions to the most pressing challenges in science and technology.
Would you return a favor? Scientists say it depends on the relationship
A new study shows people expect reciprocal generosity only in interactions with friends or others of equal social status.
Advancing stem cell research and building the next generation of biologists
Biology PhD student Giselle Valdes studies stem cell regeneration while encouraging aspiring students and researchers.
Myriam Heiman named director of The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory
Heiman, who studies neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington’s and Parkinson’s, will lead the institute beginning July 1.
Pablo Jarillo-Herrero wins Kavli Prize in Nanoscience
The MIT physicist shares the honor with two others for foundational research establishing the field of twistronics.
MIT affiliates win 2026 Breakthrough, New Horizons prizes
Faculty member Shu-Heng Shao, in addition to four MIT alumni, are honored by the Breakthrough Prize Foundation.
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.
The crucial human component in computing and AI
The MIT Ethics of Computing Research Symposium brought together experts and researchers working at the heart of ethical and social impact in technology.
NSF renews support for MIT-led AI and physics institute, expanding a new model for discovery
IAIFI enters its second phase with increased funding, broader ambitions, and a growing community at the frontier of AI and fundamental physics.
Teaching AI agents to ask better questions by playing “Battleship”
MIT researchers use the classic game as a test bed for AI agents, finding a small AI model can outperform the biggest ones at 1 percent of the cost.
MIT chemists design impact-resistant plastics
Introducing weaker bonds into polystyrene and rubber helps these materials dissipate energy, making them more resistant to destructive forces.
Enzymes that assemble into droplets can speed up cellular reactions
MIT biologists find highly concentrated droplets can help cells keep enzymes organized and control growth signals.