Decoding the Arctic to predict winter weather
With the help of AI, MIT Research Scientist Judah Cohen is reshaping subseasonal forecasting, with the goal of extending the lead time for predicting impactful weather.
New research may help scientists predict when a humid heat wave will break
As these events become more common at midlatitudes, a phenomenon called an atmospheric inversion will determine how long they last.
Study: More eyes on the skies will help planes reduce climate-warming contrails
Images from geostationary satellites alone aren’t enough to help planes avoid contrail-prone regions, MIT researchers report.
When companies “go green,” air quality impacts can vary dramatically
Cutting air travel and purchasing renewable energy can lead to different effects on overall air quality, even while achieving the same CO2 reduction, new research shows.
MIT Haystack scientists study recent geospace storms and resulting light shows
Solar maximum occurred within the past year — good news for aurora watchers, as the most active period for displays at New England latitudes occurs in the three years following solar maximum.
Earthquake damage at deeper depths occurs long after initial activity
While the Earth’s upper crust recovers quickly from seismic activity, new research finds the mid-crust recovers much more slowly, if at all.
Geologists discover the first evidence of 4.5-billion-year-old “proto Earth”
Materials from ancient rocks could reveal conditions in the early solar system that shaped the early Earth and other planets.
MIT joins in constructing the Giant Magellan Telescope
The major public-private partnership is expected to strengthen MIT research and US leadership in astronomy and engineering.
The first animals on Earth may have been sea sponges, study suggests
MIT researchers traced chemical fossils in ancient rocks to the ancestors of modern-day demosponges.
MIT geologists discover where energy goes during an earthquake
Based on mini “lab-quakes” in a controlled setting, the findings could help researchers assess the vulnerability of quake-prone regions.
Simpler models can outperform deep learning at climate prediction
New research shows the natural variability in climate data can cause AI models to struggle at predicting local temperature and rainfall.
Island rivers carve passageways through coral reefs
Research shows these channels allow seawater and nutrients to flow in and out, helping to maintain reef health over millions of years.
When Earth iced over, early life may have sheltered in meltwater ponds
Modern-day analogs in Antarctica reveal ponds teeming with life similar to early multicellular organisms.
Shaping the future through systems thinking
Ananda Santos Figueiredo, a senior in climate system science and engineering, is charting her own course of impact.
Study: Climate change may make it harder to reduce smog in some regions
Ground-level ozone in North America and Western Europe may become less sensitive to cutting NOx emissions. The opposite may occur in Northeast Asia.