Physics

Scientists at MIT, Harvard University, and elsewhere have now demonstrated that photons can be made to interact — an accomplishment that could open a path toward using photons in quantum computing, if not in light sabers.

Physicists create new form of light

Newly observed optical state could enable quantum computing with photons.

February 15, 2018

Robert van der Hilst moderates the symposium's day-two panel consisting of Sir Brian Hoskins, Inez Fung, Kerry Emanuel, Allison Wing and John Bush.

Chaos and climate: Celebrating two pioneers of modern meteorology

Trailblazing scientists Jule Charney and Edward Lorenz gave us numerical weather prediction and chaos theory, highlighting the value of basic research.

February 14, 2018

Butterfly Network, a startup co-founded by MIT alumnus Nevada Sanchez ’10, SM ’11, has developed a low-cost, handheld scanner that generates clinical-quality ultrasounds on a smartphone. Ultrasounds are uploaded to the cloud, where any expert with permission can give second opinions or help analyze images.

Giving everyone a window into the human body

Startup’s low-cost, portable scanner generates clinical-quality ultrasounds on a smartphone.

February 6, 2018

International participants in J-WEL’s October 2017 inaugural J-WEL Week learn about educational innovations at MIT during the Learning Everywhere Project Showcase.

J-WEL grant award announcement and call for proposals in education innovation

Funding is available to MIT faculty to support educational innovations in pre-K-12, Higher Education, and Workplace Learning.

February 1, 2018

Rendering of the gas velocity in a thin slice of 100 kiloparsec thickness (in the viewing direction), centered on the second most massive galaxy cluster in the TNG100 calculation. Where the image is black, the gas is hardly moving, while white regions have velocities that exceed 1,000 kilometers per second. The image contrasts the gas motions in cosmic filaments against the fast chaotic motions tr...

Modeling the universe

MIT's Mark Vogelsberger and an international astrophysics team have created a new model pointing to black holes’ role in galaxy formation.

January 31, 2018

Professor William Tisdale (left), Rachel Gilmore PhD '17, and their colleagues are developing novel methods of synthesizing quantum dot materials for use in solar cells, LEDs, and more. Testing confirms that their new techniques enable them to control the nanoscale structure of their materials — the key to high performance in energy devices.

Novel methods of synthesizing quantum dot materials

MIT researchers are optimizing nanostructures for energy devices such as solar cells.

January 24, 2018

First row (l-r): Stephen Bell, Timothy Cronin, Nikta Fakhri, Robert Griffin. Second row (l-r): Jacqueline Hewitt, William Minicozzi, Aaron Pixton, Gabriela Schlau-Cohen. Third row (l-r): Alexander Shalek, Scott Sheffield, Susan Solomon, Stefani Spranger.

Twelve School of Science faculty members appointed to named professorships

January 19, 2018

MIT researchers, looking for ways to turn heat into electricity, find efficient possibilities in certain topological materials.

Turning heat into electricity

Study finds topological materials could boost the efficiency of thermoelectric devices.

January 16, 2018

A drawing illustrates the unusual topological landscape around a pair of features known as exceptional points (red dots), showing the emergence of a Fermi arc (pink line at center), and exotic polarization contours that form a Mobius-strip-like texture (top and bottom strips).

New exotic phenomena seen in photonic crystals

Researchers observe, for the first time, topological effects unique to an “open” system.

January 11, 2018

A Nov. 20 reception honored the MIT faculty receiving this year’s Professor Amar G. Bose Research Grants. The program is named for the late Amar Bose ’51, SM ’52, ScD ’56, a longtime MIT faculty member and the founder of the Bose Corporation. This year’s reception also honored his son, Vanu Bose ’87, SM ’94, PhD ’99, who passed away last month. In his opening remarks, President L. ...

Bose Grants for 2017 reward bold and unconventional research visions

Six potentially paradigm-shifting research projects will make strides with funding from Professor Amar G. Bose Research Grants.

December 14, 2017

Artist’s conceptions of the most-distant supermassive black hole ever discovered, which is part of a quasar from just 690 million years after the Big Bang. It is surrounded by neutral hydrogen, indicating that it is from the period called the epoch of reionization, when the universe's first light sources turned on.

Scientists observe supermassive black hole in infant universe

Findings present a puzzle as to how such a huge object could have grown so quickly.

December 6, 2017

The president of Croatia, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, visited MIT on Monday, Dec. 4. From left: MIT physicist Marin Soljačić; MIT President L. Rafael Reif; Croatian president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović; and the dean of the MIT School of Science, Michael Sipser.

Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, president of Croatia, visits MIT

State visit includes meeting with MIT president and award for MIT physicist Marin Soljačić.

December 5, 2017

Jeremiah Johnson (left) and Tracy Slatyer

Jeremiah Johnson and Tracy Slatyer win 2017 School of Science teaching prizes

Faculty members in chemistry and physics honored for excellence in graduate and undergraduate teaching.

December 1, 2017

Physicists at MIT and Harvard University have demonstrated a new way to manipulate quantum bits of matter. The researchers report using a system of finely tuned lasers to first trap and then tweak the interactions of 51 individual atoms, or quantum bits.

Scientists demonstrate one of largest quantum simulators yet, with 51 atoms

New technique manipulates atoms into antiferromagnetic state.

November 29, 2017

MIT President L. Rafael Reif welcomes family, colleagues, friends, former students, and other associates of the late MIT Institute Professor Mildred “Millie” Dresselhaus to a symposium celebrating her life and career.

Celebrating Millie

Symposium commemorates the life and career of pioneering professor and beloved mentor Mildred Dresselhaus.