Physicists observe rare resonance in molecules for the first time
The findings could provide a new way to control chemical reactions.
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Study: Superconductivity switches on and off in “magic-angle” graphene
A quick electric pulse completely flips the material’s electronic properties, opening a route to ultrafast, brain-inspired, superconducting electronics.
How to push, wiggle, or drill an object through granular material
A method for quickly predicting the forces needed to push objects through "flowable media" could help engineers drive robots or anchor ships.
MIT engineers grow “perfect” atom-thin materials on industrial silicon wafers
Their technique could allow chip manufacturers to produce next-generation transistors based on materials other than silicon.
Can you trust your quantum simulator?
A new technique helps verify the accuracy of experiments that probe the strange behavior of atomic-scale systems.
Moving water and earth
A new understanding of how particle shape controls grain flow could help engineers manage river restoration and coastal erosion.
2.009 makes its “Move!” onstage
Students pitched prototypes for a sea turtle incubator, a wheelchair speed control, a self-cleaning firehose system, and more.
MIT engineers design a soft, implantable ventilator
The new design works with the diaphragm to improve breathing.
Study: Without more data, a black hole’s origins can be “spun” in any direction
Current measurements of black holes are not enough to nail down how the invisible giants form in the universe, researchers say.
A healthy wind
Health benefits of using wind energy instead of fossil fuels could quadruple if the most polluting power plants are selected for dialing down, new study finds.
Mysteriously bright flash is a black hole jet pointing straight toward Earth, astronomers say
The observations could illuminate how supermassive black holes feed and grow.
Earth can regulate its own temperature over millennia, new study finds
Scientists have confirmed that a “stabilizing feedback” on 100,000-year timescales keeps global temperatures in check.
Keeping indoor humidity levels at a “sweet spot” may reduce spread of Covid-19
A new study links very dry and very humid indoor environments with worse Covid-19 outcomes.
With new heat treatment, 3D-printed metals can withstand extreme conditions
A technique that transforms the metals’ microscopic structure may enable energy-efficient 3D printing of blades for gas turbines or jet engines.
Ocean microbes get their diet through a surprising mix of sources, study finds
Up to one-third of the carbon consumed by Prochlorococcus may come from sources other than photosynthesis.