School of Science

Motor neurons (green) form synapses (highlighted in magenta) on muscle fibers in a fruit fly. MIT neuroscientists have discovered a pathway that contributes to strengthening these synapses.

Neuroscientists reveal how the brain can enhance connections

Newly identified mechanism allows the brain to strengthen links between neurons.

November 18, 2015

Alan Davison, professor emeritus of chemistry, dies at 79

Longtime MIT professor was a "serial innovator" whose inventions included Cardiolite, an important tool in clinical nuclear cardiology.

November 17, 2015

MIT chemists have created a new type of gel by linking metal organic cages with long polymer strands (blue). The red polymer strands, which loop back to the cages, can be used to further customize the gels by adding other molecules.

Chemists create adaptable metallic-cage gels

New materials could be tuned for applications including drug delivery and water filtration.

November 17, 2015

3Q: Sarah Ballard on astrophysics and gender equity in science

Kavli Institute postdoc and 2015 L'Oreal USA For Women in Science Award winner speaks on her career and why roadblocks remain for women in science.

November 13, 2015

Why MIT.nano?

Doug Spreng ’65 believes nanotechnology could hold the biggest payoffs — for everyone.

November 13, 2015

$Researchers say the new desalination method could be useful for cleaning the contaminated water generated by hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Shown here is a holding pit for fracking water.$

Shocking new way to get the salt out

MIT team invents efficient shockwave-based process for desalination of water.

November 12, 2015

In this artist's rendering of GJ 1132b, a rocky exoplanet very similar to Earth in size and mass, circles a red dwarf star. GJ 1132b is relatively cool (about 450 degrees F) and could potentially host an atmosphere. At a distance of only 39 light-years, it will be a prime target for additional study with Hubble and future observatories like the Giant Magellan Telescope.

New exoplanet in our neighborhood

Though likely uninhabitable, planet is rocky, Earth-sized, and near enough for study of its atmosphere.

November 11, 2015

What counts as fair?

Neuroscientists find that children’s ability to count is key to distributing resources based on merit.

November 10, 2015

(Left to right) Edward Boyden, Larry Guth, and Liang Fu

Edward Boyden wins 2016 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences

MIT physicists share prize in fundamental physics; Larry Guth and Liang Fu win New Horizons Prizes.

November 9, 2015

Materials Processing Center Director Carl V. Thompson addresses the annual Materials Day Symposium, "Quantum Materials," at MIT on Oct. 14.

Quantum materials: A new paradigm for computing?

Diamond spintronics and graphene-based infrared detectors are among leading-edge technologies reported at annual Materials Day Symposium at MIT.

November 6, 2015

Ship in a bottle

MIT.nano is one of the most ambitious — and challenging — construction projects in Institute history. Why did we make it so hard for ourselves?

November 4, 2015

An aerial view of St. Johns River in Florida.

Cracking the problem of river growth

MIT researchers find that a similar principle predicts the growth of fractures and rivers.

November 2, 2015

Clockwise from top left: Nominator and Professor Leslie Kolodziejski, Professor Kord Smith and nominators; nominator and Professor Susan Silbey; and Professor Frank Solomon and nominator.

Grad students honor caring faculty through Committed to Caring (C2C) Awards

Celebration of “above and beyond” support enters second year.

October 30, 2015

A rock outcrop in Gordon Gulch, Colo., with Stephen Martel of the University of Hawaii pictured in the foreground.

Study predicts bedrock weathering based on topography

Shape of a landscape determines the thickness of Earth’s life-sustaining “critical zone.”

October 29, 2015

To locate objects, brain relies on memory

Neuroscientists identify brain region that holds objects in memory until they are spotted.