What happens during the first moments of butterfly scale formation
New findings could help engineers design materials for light and heat management.
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Study: Titan’s lakes may be shaped by waves
MIT researchers find wave activity on Saturn’s largest moon may be strong enough to erode the coastlines of lakes and seas.
New computer vision method helps speed up screening of electronic materials
The technique characterizes a material’s electronic properties 85 times faster than conventional methods.
Exotic black holes could be a byproduct of dark matter
In the first quintillionth of a second, the universe may have sprouted microscopic black holes with enormous amounts of nuclear charge, MIT physicists propose.
Microscopic defects in ice influence how massive glaciers flow, study shows
The findings should help scientists refine predictions of future sea-level rise.
Using wobbling stellar material, astronomers measure the spin of a supermassive black hole for the first time
The results offer a new way to probe supermassive black holes and their evolution across the universe.
The origin of the sun’s magnetic field could lie close to its surface
Sunspots and flares could be a product of a shallow magnetic field, according to surprising new findings that may help scientists predict space weather.
John Joannopoulos receives 2024-2025 Killian Award
The MIT physicist is honored for pioneering work in photonics that helped to advance tools for telecommunications and biomedicine.
Newly discovered Earth-sized planet may lack an atmosphere
Circling a cold, Jupiter-sized star, the new world could offer an unobstructed view of its surface composition and history.
Robotic “SuperLimbs” could help moonwalkers recover from falls
A new MIT system could help astronauts conserve energy and extend missions on the lunar surface.
Astronomers spot a giant planet that is as light as cotton candy
The new world is the second-lightest planet discovered to date.
MIT researchers discover the universe’s oldest stars in our own galactic backyard
Three stars circling the Milky Way’s halo formed 12 to 13 billion years ago.
Study: Heavy snowfall and rain may contribute to some earthquakes
The results suggest that climate may influence seismic activity.
MIT astronomers observe elusive stellar light surrounding ancient quasars
The observations suggest some of earliest “monster” black holes grew from massive cosmic seeds.
Physicists arrange atoms in extremely close proximity
The technique opens possibilities for exploring exotic states of matter and building new quantum materials.