The robotic equivalent of a Swiss army knife
Reconfigurable robot a step toward something that can become almost anything.
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J.J. Abrams: 'It’s like driving in the fog'
Movie and television writer-producer shares his thoughts on how his production company compares with MIT’s Media Lab.
The music of the silks
Researchers synthesize a new kind of silk fiber — and find that music can help fine-tune the material’s properties.
3 Questions: World energy outlook
Fatih Birol, chief economist at the International Energy Agency, talks about the future of fossil fuels and the prospects for curbing greenhouse-gas emissions.
Funneling the sun’s energy
MIT engineers propose a new way of harnessing photons for electricity, with the potential for capturing a wider spectrum of solar energy.
Controlling heat flow through a nanostructure
MIT researchers find that heat moving in materials called superlattices behaves like waves; finding could enable better thermoelectrics.
Bringing the world to innovation
With up to $25 million in new USAID funding, MIT’s D-Lab will gain greater ability to help people in the developing world find their own solutions.
Stronger than a speeding bullet
New tests of nanostructured material could lead to better armor against everything from gunfire to micrometeorites.
Sitting still or going hunting: Which works better?
If you’re a microbe floating in the ocean, there’s no single best strategy for getting food, MIT research shows.
Explained: Margin of error
When you hear poll results reported with a certain margin of error, that’s only part of the story.
How to communicate science visually
In a new book, MIT’s Felice Frankel aims to help scientists and engineers improve the way they portray their research through photos, diagrams and graphs.
Department snapshot: Civil and Environmental Engineering
From bacteria to bridges, CEE researchers tackle natural and built environments.
A better way to shed water
MIT researchers find that lubricated, nanotextured surfaces improved performance of condensers in power and desalination plants.
‘Invisibility’ could be a key to better electronics
MIT team applies technology developed for visual ‘cloaking’ to enable more efficient transfer of electrons.
Profile: Ju Li explores new nanomaterials
Working from the scale of atoms on up, he designs materials for future energy applications.