Investigating the embattled brain
Combat veteran and PhD candidate Omar Rutledge drives research on post-traumatic stress disorder.
Gene changes linked to severe repetitive behaviors
Graybiel lab identifies genes linked to abnormal repetitive behaviors often seen in models of addiction and schizophrenia.
How shared partisanship leads to social media connections
Twitter experiment shows clear self-selection into social media “echo chambers” due to political preferences.
Learning with — and about — AI technology
At Open Learning Talks, Cynthia Breazeal and Eric Klopfer discuss artificial intelligence education.
Cortex over reflex: Study traces circuits where executive control overcomes instinct
Frontal brain region overrides reflexive inclination of a deeper, older region when rules require.
Case studies show climate variation linked to rise and fall of medieval nomadic empires
Recent virtual lecture explores how paleoclimatology provides important context for examining the activities of past human societies.
Identifying the structure and function of a brain hub
A direct comparison of sensory and higher-order thalamic circuits reveals fundamental differences in how they control the cerebral cortex.
Scientists identify specific brain region and circuits controlling attention
Norepinephrine-producing neurons in the locus coeruleus produce attention focus, impulse control via two distinct connections to prefrontal cortex.
Study helps explain why motivation to learn declines with age
Research on mice suggests aging affects a brain circuit critical for learning to make some types of decisions.
Why soldiers fight
Political science graduate student Matthew Cancian brings his own military experience to bear on battlefield psychology.
3 Questions: Nancy Hopkins on improving gender equality in academia
Molecular biologist and professor emerita advocates for more inclusive science and advises how to get there.
Why social media has changed the world — and how to fix it
MIT Professor Sinan Aral’s new book, “The Hype Machine,” explores the perils and promise of social media in a time of discord.
Did our early ancestors boil their food in hot springs?
Scientists have found evidence of hot springs near sites where ancient hominids settled, long before the control of fire.
Study suggests animals think probabilistically to distinguish contexts
New statistical model may help scientists understand how animals infer whether surroundings are novel or haven’t changed enough to be a new context.
What can your microwave tell you about your health?
An MIT system uses wireless signals to measure in-home appliance usage to better understand health tendencies.