New propulsion system could make tiny satellites both fast and fuel-efficient
For satellites as small as a briefcase, getting around in space just got a whole lot easier.
The Haystack 37m Telescope: A new era of astrophysical research
The legendary radio astronomy telescope returns to its science and educational mission at MIT Haystack Observatory.
Astronomers pin down the origins of a planetary odd couple
New measurements of a hot Jupiter and its mini-Neptune companion suggest both planets formed surprisingly far away from their host star.
Waves hit different on other planets
From lazy ripples to towering breakers, waves should vary widely from one planet to another, according to a new model.
3 Questions: Fortifying our planetary defenses
MIT astronomers are developing a new way to detect, monitor, and mitigate the threats posed by smaller asteroids to our critical space infrastructure.
Finding a nanoscale solution to safer spaceflight
Using boron nitride nanotubes, mechanical engineering doctoral student Palak Patel develops materials for space that block dangerous ionizing radiation.
Engineering confidence to navigate uncertainty
In 16.85 (Design and Testing of Autonomous Vehicles), AeroAstro students build software that allows autonomous flight vehicles to navigate unknown environments.
Some early life forms may have breathed oxygen well before it filled the atmosphere
A new study suggests aerobic respiration began hundreds of millions of years earlier than previously thought.
Polar weather on Jupiter and Saturn hints at the planets’ interior details
New research may explain the striking differences between the two planets’ polar vortex patterns.
Nuno Loureiro, professor and director of MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, dies at 47
In his 10 years at MIT, Loureiro helped illuminate the physics occurring at the center of fusion vacuum chambers and at the edges of the universe.
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.
3 Questions: How a new mission to Uranus could be just around the corner
PhD student Chloe Gentgen discusses why the ice giant is such a high-priority solar system target, and how the Starship launch vehicle may hasten our explorations there.
Study finds exoplanet TRAPPIST-1e is unlikely to have a Venus- or Mars-like atmosphere
Astronomers led by EAPS postdoc Ana Glidden ruled out several atmospheric scenarios for the planet, narrowing ideas of what habitability there might look like.
Planets without water could still produce certain liquids, a new study finds
Lab experiments show “ionic liquids” can form through common planetary processes and might be capable of supporting life even on waterless planets.
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.