Nergis Mavalvala named School of Science dean
Astrophysicist and associate head of the physics department will succeed Michael Sipser.
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How MIT built its own Covid-19 testing trailer
Designed and assembled by experts from across the Institute, the facility should enable testing of up to 1,500 people a day.
How airplanes counteract St. Elmo’s fire during thunderstorms
On the ground, windy conditions strengthen these electrical flashes, but new experiments tell a different story for flying objects.
3 Questions: Asegun Henry on five “grand thermal challenges” to stem the tide of global warming
“Our mission here is to save humanity from extinction due to climate change,” says MIT professor.
Why shaving dulls even the sharpest of razors
Human hair is 50 times softer than steel, yet it can chip away a razor’s edge, a new study shows.
Lava oceans may not explain the brightness of some hot super-Earths
By making their own lava and cooled glass, scientists find these materials likely aren’t responsible for the unexpected glow of some exoplanets.
Can a quantum strategy help bring down the house?
Study finds quantum entanglement could, in principle, give a slight advantage in the game of blackjack.
Study: A plunge in incoming sunlight may have triggered “Snowball Earths”
Findings also suggest exoplanets lying within habitable zones may be susceptible to ice ages.
Study sheds light on the evolution of the earliest dinosaurs
Geological evidence suggests the known dinosaur groups diverged early on, supporting the traditional dinosaur family tree.
An origin story for a family of oddball meteorites
Study suggests the rare objects likely came from an early planetesimal with a magnetic core.
In a first, astronomers watch a black hole’s corona disappear, then reappear
A colliding star may have triggered the drastic transformation.
“Alexa, go to the kitchen and fetch me a snack”
New model aims to give robots human-like perception of their physical environments.
Portable system boosts laser precision, at room temperature
“Light squeezer” reduces quantum noise in lasers, could enhance quantum computing and gravitational-wave detection.
Quantum fluctuations can jiggle objects on the human scale
Study shows LIGO’s 40-kilogram mirrors can move in response to tiny quantum effects, revealing the “spooky popcorn of the universe.”
TESS mission discovers massive ice giant
Neptune-sized planet may be remnant core of a much larger planet.