Engineered yeast could expand biofuels’ reach
By making the microbes more tolerant to toxic byproducts, researchers show they can use a wider range of feedstocks, beyond corn.
Four MIT faculty members receive 2021 US Department of Energy early career awards
Faculty from the departments of Physics and of Nuclear Science and Engineering faculty were selected for the Early Career Research Program.
Revisiting a quantum past for a fusion future
Principal Research Scientist Abhay Ram circles back to his graduate school studies for a new initiative combining classical physics and quantum computing.
Physicists uncover secrets of world’s thinnest superconductor
First experimental evidence of spin excitations in an atomically thin material helps answer 30-year-old questions, could lead to better medical diagnostics and more.
Creating “digital twins” at scale
Model could help predictive virtual models become standard practice in engineering.
Tiny particles power chemical reactions
A new material made from carbon nanotubes can generate electricity by scavenging energy from its environment.
Advance may enable “2D” transistors for tinier microchip components
Atomically thin materials are a promising alternative to silicon-based transistors; now researchers can connect them more efficiently to other chip elements.
Seeking enhanced materials for nuclear reactors
Fifth-year nuclear science and engineering graduate student Arunkumar Seshadri looks to develop materials and fuels that can better withstand the extreme conditions in nuclear reactors.
A streamlined approach to determining thermal properties of crystalline solids and alloys
MIT research team finds machine learning techniques offer big advantages over standard experimental and theoretical approaches.
Design could enable longer lasting, more powerful lithium batteries
Use of a novel electrolyte could allow advanced metal electrodes and higher voltages, boosting capacity and cycle life.
How to prevent short-circuiting in next-gen lithium batteries
New findings may help unleash the potential of high-powered, solid-electrolyte lithium batteries.
An aggressive market-driven model for US fusion power development
National Academies study says fusion can help decarbonize US energy, calls for public-private approach to pilot plant operation by 2035-40.
Researchers develop speedier network analysis for a range of computer hardware
The advance could boost recommendation algorithms and internet search.
Nanowire could provide a stable, easy-to-make superconducting transistor
Inspired by decades-old MIT research, the new technology could boost quantum computers and other superconducting electronics.
Physicists create tunable superconductivity in twisted graphene “nanosandwich”
Structure may reveal conditions needed for high-temperature superconductivity.