MIT students study plasma physics beneath Alaska’s aurora
Student-led expeditions use distributed instruments to observe auroral structures and probe space plasma in real-world conditions.
The rules neurons follow to make sense of what we see
Brain cells take in many signals through thousands of circuit connections. A new study discerns the rules that turn inputs into a functional arrangement for neurons that process vision.
Some democracies are struggling to ensure safe drinking water
Countries with developing economies provide at least some public water, but safety may lag because it’s less visible, researchers say.
Technology usually creates jobs for young, skilled workers. Will AI do the same?
A new study of the postwar U.S. shows which kinds of workers historically filled new tech-enabled jobs.
Four from MIT named 2026 Searle Scholars
Computational neuroscientist Sven Dorkenwald and cell biologist Whitney Henry, along with two MIT alumni, are recognized for their exceptional early-career research contributions.
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.
Single-molecule tracker illuminates workings of cancer-related proteins
Researchers can now use custom-built microscopy and nanotechnology to tag and follow the activity of individual proteins in real-time.
New research enables a robot to chart a better course
By rapidly generating a smooth path plan that cuts travel time and avoids obstacles, the open-source “MIGHTY” system could streamline disaster recovery and parcel delivery.
Language development in the brain
The brain’s language network is still evolving in adolescence. But by age 4, language processing is already handled by the left side of the brain, new research finds.
MIT chemists discover and isolate a new boron-oxygen molecule
The discovery of dioxaborirane could expand the chemistry of boron-based reagents, providing new tools for oxidation reactions in synthesis and materials science.
Researchers “reprogram” materials by quickly rearranging their atoms
A new method for precisely moving columns of individual atoms within a material could give rise to exotic quantum properties.
A new approach to cancer vaccination yields more powerful T cells
Using immune-remodeling mRNA molecules, researchers generated T cells that can slow tumor growth and, in some cases, eradicate tumors.
A new way to spot signs of dark matter
Gravitational waves emitted by colliding black holes may bear imprints of dark matter, which physicists could detect with a new model.
Powerful shrinking technique could enable devices that compute with light
MIT researchers created tiny 3D photonic devices with features small enough to channel visible light.
Improving the reliability of circuits for quantum computers
A new technique helps scientists measure a phenomenon that can cause quantum circuits to perform differently than expected, increasing the error in computations.