Study urges caution when comparing neural networks to the brain
Computing systems that appear to generate brain-like activity may be the result of researchers guiding them to a specific outcome.
A new control system for synthetic genes
Researchers have developed a technique that could help fine-tune the production of monoclonal antibodies and other useful proteins.
A better way to tell which species are vulnerable
New analysis takes account of natural fluctuations and predictability to assess which parts of an ecosystem are most threatened by climate change and other disruptions.
Building with nanoparticles, from the bottom up
Researchers develop a technique for precisely arranging nanoscale particles on a surface, such as a silicon chip, that doesn’t damage the material.
A faster experiment to find and study topological materials
Using machine learning and simple X-ray spectra, researchers can uncover compounds that might enable next-generation computer chips or quantum devices.
Deep learning with light
A new method uses optics to accelerate machine-learning computations on smart speakers and other low-power connected devices.
Tiny particles work together to do big things
Simple microparticles can beat rhythmically together, generating an oscillating electrical current that could be used to power microrobotic devices.
Engineers develop a new kind of shape-memory material
The ceramic-based material could be used for highly efficient actuators for aircraft or other uses, with minimal moving parts.
Learning on the edge
A new technique enables AI models to continually learn from new data on intelligent edge devices like smartphones and sensors, reducing energy costs and privacy risks.
Neurodegenerative disease can progress in newly identified patterns
A machine-learning method finds patterns of health decline in ALS, informing future clinical trial designs and mechanism discovery. The technique also extends to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
MIT engineers build a battery-free, wireless underwater camera
The device could help scientists explore unknown regions of the ocean, track pollution, or monitor the effects of climate change.
Ocean scientists measure sediment plume stirred up by deep-sea-mining vehicle
A new field study reveals a previously unobserved fluid dynamic process that is key to assessing impact of deep-sea mining operations.
Saturn’s rings and tilt could be the product of an ancient, missing moon
A “grazing encounter” may have smashed the moon to bits to form Saturn’s rings, a new study suggests.
Study reveals how environment and state are integrated to control behavior
A simple animal model shows how stimuli and states such as smells, stressors, and satiety converge in an olfactory neuron to guide food-seeking behavior.
Analyzing the potential of AlphaFold in drug discovery
Study finds computer models that predict molecular interactions need improvement before they can help identify drug mechanisms of action.