Ping pong bot returns shots with high-speed precision
In addition to training future players, the technology could expand the capabilities of other humanoid robots, such as for search and rescue.
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MIT physicists snap the first images of “free-range” atoms
The results will help scientists visualize never-before-seen quantum phenomena in real space.
Robotic system zeroes in on objects most relevant for helping humans
A new approach could enable intuitive robotic helpers for household, workplace, and warehouse settings.
New electronic “skin” could enable lightweight night-vision glasses
MIT engineers developed ultrathin electronic films that sense heat and other signals, and could reduce the bulk of conventional goggles and scopes.
MIT engineers print synthetic “metamaterials” that are both strong and stretchy
A new method could enable stretchable ceramics, glass, and metals, for tear-proof textiles or stretchy semiconductors.
Astronomers discover a planet that’s rapidly disintegrating, producing a comet-like tail
The small and rocky lava world sheds an amount of material equivalent to the mass of Mount Everest every 30.5 hours.
Hundred-year storm tides will occur every few decades in Bangladesh, scientists report
With projected global warming, the frequency of extreme storms will ramp up by the end of the century, according to a new study.
3Q: MIT’s Lonnie Petersen on the first medical X-ray taken in space
Performed in microgravity, 200 miles above the Earth’s surface, the imaging procedure could help keep astronauts safe and healthy on long-term missions.
Deep-dive dinners are the norm for tuna and swordfish, MIT oceanographers find
These big fish get most of their food from the ocean’s “twilight zone,” a deep, dark region the commercial fishing industry is eyeing with interest.
Basketball analytics investment is key to NBA wins and other successes
Investment in analytics may also benefit college teams and fields beyond sports, a new study shows.
Mathematicians uncover the logic behind how people walk in crowds
The findings could help planners design safer, more efficient pedestrian thoroughfares.
MIT scientists engineer starfish cells to shape-shift in response to light
The research may enable the design of synthetic, light-activated cells for wound healing or drug delivery.
A dive into the “almost magical” potential of photonic crystals
In MIT’s 2025 Killian Lecture, physicist John Joannopoulos recounts highlights from a career at the vanguard of photonics research and innovation.
Artificial muscle flexes in multiple directions, offering a path to soft, wiggly robots
MIT engineers developed a way to grow artificial tissues that look and act like their natural counterparts.
Study: Climate change will reduce the number of satellites that can safely orbit in space
Increasing greenhouse gas emissions will reduce the atmosphere’s ability to burn up old space junk, MIT scientists report.