Research

A wind turbine on the coast of Lake Erie in Cleveland, Ohio

Shift to renewable electricity a win-win at statewide level

MIT research finds health savings from cleaner air exceed policy costs.

August 14, 2019

MIT researchers have found a circuit of thousands of neurons in the mammalian brain (blue) traces out a one-dimensional ring during complex navigation behaviors. “In the absence of this ring,” explains Associate Professor Ila Fiete, “we would be lost in the world.”

Finding the brain’s compass

A powerful method has allowed McGovern researchers to discover how the brain represents the complex world in simple shapes.

August 12, 2019

Large anions with long tails (blue) in ionic liquids can make them self-assemble into sandwich-like bilayer structures on electrode surfaces. Ionic liquids with such structures have much improved energy storage capabilities.

New type of electrolyte could enhance supercapacitor performance

Novel class of “ionic liquids” may store more energy than conventional electrolytes — with less risk of catching fire.

August 12, 2019

The blood-brain barrier — the normally tight border that prevents harmful molecules in the bloodstream from entering the brain — can be damaged by the protein aggregates that form in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.

Tissue model reveals role of blood-brain barrier in Alzheimer’s

Study finds that Alzheimer’s damage allows toxins to enter the brain, further harming neurons.

August 12, 2019

A bright fluorescent quantum defect can be a tool to upgrade current biomedical imaging systems, looking at even smaller tumors through the defect emission.

A single-photon source you can make at home

Shining light through household bleach creates fluorescent quantum defects in carbon nanotubes for quantum computing and biomedical imaging.

August 9, 2019

Illustration of train on DNA between condensate droplets

An emerging view of RNA transcription and splicing

Whitehead Institute scientists find chemical modification contributes to trafficking between non-membrane-bound compartments that control gene expression.

August 9, 2019

Guided by artificial intelligence and powered by a robotic platform, a system developed by MIT researchers moves a step closer to automating the production of small molecules.

Guided by AI, robotic platform automates molecule manufacture

New system could free bench chemists from time-consuming tasks, may help inspire new molecules.

August 8, 2019

MIT researchers have developed a new model of gene control, in which the cellular machinery that transcribes DNA into RNA forms specialized droplets called condensates.

Study furthers radically new view of gene control

Along the genome, proteins form liquid-like droplets that appear to boost the expression of particular genes.

August 8, 2019

A microscopic image of mixed bacteria from environmental samples. MIT researchers have developed a gene flow measurement that defines ecologically important populations of microbes.

Using recent gene flow to define microbe populations

New method identifies ecologically and medically relevant bacteria groups.

August 8, 2019

The MIT Press releases a comprehensive report on open-source publishing software

Report catalogs, analyzes available open-source publishing software; warns open publishing must grapple with siloed development and community-owned ecosystems.

August 8, 2019