Maria Zuber elected as chair of the National Science Board
For the first time, women will hold both of the board’s top leadership positions.
J-WAFS awards $1.3 million in second round of seed grant funding
Principal investigators will receive grants of up to $100,000 per year for up to two years for innovative research on food and water challenges.
Study pinpoints timing of oxygen’s first appearance in Earth’s atmosphere
Beginning 2.33 billion years ago, atmospheric oxygen built up in just 10 million years.
Tracking Greenland’s ice melt with seismic waves
Technique uses vibrations generated by ocean waves to monitor ice sheet’s seasonal changes.
Scientists discover potentially habitable planets
Just 40 light years from Earth, planets are best targets so far for search for extraterrestrial life.
Higher coal use in Asia could increase water stress
Aerosol emissions would slow warming but suppress rainfall.
There’s something in the air
Colette Heald studies atmospheric gases and particles, and how they affect air quality and climate.
MIT Energy Initiative awards nine seed fund grants for early-stage energy research
Winning teams will use grants to advance research in areas including fuel cells, solar-powered desalination, and impacts of electric vehicle charging on the power grid.
Study: Ancient tectonic activity was trigger for ice ages
Continental shifting may have acted as a natural mechanism for extreme carbon sequestration.
QS World University Rankings rates MIT No. 1 in 12 subjects for 2016
MIT ranked within the top 5 globally for 19 of 42 subject areas.
First temperature map of a “super-Earth” reveals lava world
Exoplanet lacks atmosphere, is covered in rivers of magma.
A highly eccentric exoplanet
Observations of an extreme-weather planet raise questions about hot Jupiters’ origins.
Title for ‘Earth’s first animal’ likely goes to simple sea creature
Sponges may be source of molecular fossils that significantly predate Cambrian explosion.
Terrascope recognized by National Academy of Engineering
Freshman learning community recognized as an Exemplar in Engineering Ethics Education.