How the brain handles the “cocktail party problem”
Using a computational model, neuroscientists showed how the brain can selectively focus attention on one voice among others in a noisy environment.
Neurons receive precisely tailored teaching signals as we learn
New work suggests the brain can deliver neuron-specific feedback during learning — resembling the error signals that drive machine learning.
A satellite language network in the brain
Researchers find a component of the brain’s dedicated language network in the cerebellum, a region better known for coordinating movement.
Q&A: A simpler way to understand syntax
A new book by Professor Ted Gibson brings together his years of teaching and research to detail the rules of how words combine.
Celebrating worm science
Time and again, an unassuming roundworm has illuminated aspects of biology with major consequences for human health.
New study suggests a way to rejuvenate the immune system
Stimulating the liver to produce some of the signals of the thymus can reverse age-related declines in T-cell populations and enhance response to vaccination.
When it comes to language, context matters
MIT researchers identified three cognitive skills that we use to infer what someone really means.
Astrocyte diversity across space and time
A new atlas charts the diversity of an influential cell type in the brains of mice and marmosets.
Staying stable
Whether they walk on two, four, or six legs, animals maintain stability by monitoring their body position and correcting errors with every step.
Faces of MIT: Brian Hanna
MIT Venture Mentoring Service Operations Manager Brian Hanna matches entrepreneurs with industry professionals who help take their ventures to the next level through personalized mentorship and expert advice.
The cost of thinking
MIT neuroscientists find a surprising parallel in the ways humans and new AI models solve complex problems.
Study: Identifying kids who need help learning to read isn’t as easy as A, B, C
While most states mandate screenings to guide early interventions for children struggling with reading, many teachers feel underprepared to administer and interpret them.
New MIT initiative seeks to transform rare brain disorders research
The Rare Brain Disorders Nexus aims to accelerate the development of novel therapies for a spectrum of uncommon brain diseases.
Study sheds light on musicians’ enhanced attention
Brain imaging suggests people with musical training may be better than others at filtering out distracting sounds.
MIT cognitive scientists reveal why some sentences stand out from others
Sentences that are highly dissimilar from anything we’ve seen before are more likely to be remembered accurately.