Technique helps robots find the front door
Navigation method may speed up autonomous last-mile delivery.
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Two-legged robot mimics human balance while running and jumping
New control system may enable humanoid robots to do heavy lifting and other physically demanding tasks.
Putting the “bang” in the Big Bang
Physicists simulate critical “reheating” period that kickstarted the Big Bang in the universe’s first fractions of a second.
Cell stiffness may indicate whether tumors will invade
Study shows tumors with softer, larger cells at their periphery are more likely to spread; may suggest new route for cancer therapy.
Antarctic ice cliffs may not contribute to sea-level rise as much as predicted
Study finds even the tallest ice cliffs should support their own weight rather than collapsing catastrophically.
Giving robots a faster grasp
An algorithm speeds up the planning process robots use to adjust their grip on objects, for picking and sorting, or tool use.
Scientists discover fractal patterns in a quantum material
The X-ray-focusing lens used in the experiment is based on a design used in lighthouses for centuries.
Astronomers use giant galaxy cluster as X-ray magnifying lens
New lens technique spots tiny dwarf galaxy in the first, super-energetic stages of star formation.
“Electroadhesive” stamp picks up and puts down microscopic structures
New technique could enable assembly of circuit boards and displays with more minute components.
Scientists observe a single quantum vibration under ordinary conditions
Studying a common material at room temperature, researchers bring quantum behavior “closer to our daily life.”
Oobleck’s weird behavior is now predictable
MIT engineers develop a model that predicts how the cornstarch-water mixture turns from liquid to solid, and back again.
This is how a “fuzzy” universe may have looked
Scientists simulate early galaxy formation in a universe of dark matter that is ultralight, or “fuzzy,” rather than cold or warm.
This flat structure morphs into shape of a human face when temperature changes
New structural design could lead to self-deploying tents or adaptive robotic fins.
3Q: Scientists shave estimate of neutrino’s mass in half
Joseph Formaggio explains the discovery that the ghostly particle must be no more than 1 electronvolt, half as massive as previously thought.
MIT engineers develop “blackest black” material to date
Made from carbon nanotubes, the new coating is 10 times darker than other very black materials.