Prof. Feng Zhang and his colleagues have created a CRISPR-based system that can edit RNA in human cells, reports Amy Dockser Marcus for The Wall Street Journal. “The new RNA-editing system, which the scientists have dubbed Repair, allows the editing of individual RNA letters, correcting a common mutation known to play a role in a number of diseases.”
New Scientist reporter Timothy Revell writes that researchers from the MIT Media Lab have developed a new AI system that can tell scary stories. Revell explains that the system is “powered by deep learning algorithms that have been trained on stories collected from the subreddit /r/nosleep where people share their own original eerie works.”
Ike Brannon writes for Forbes about a survey he conducted with Prof. Michelle Hanlon asking equipment manufacturing companies what they want from tax reform. The majority of respondents in this diverse industry were in favor of removing all business tax breaks to “achieve a corporate income tax in the vicinity of 20 percent that is fully ‘paid for’,” writes Brannon.
MIT research scientist John Wright speaks with Hannah Osborne of Newsweek about a new process developed to heat fusion plasma, raising ions to energy levels greater than previously achieved. Wright explains that, “this method may have applications to more efficient heating of the plasma to the temperatures needed to begin the fusion burn.”
New Scientist reporter Michael Le Page writes that a study co-authored by Prof. Kerry Emanuel finds that while in the future hurricanes may be more likely to miss New York City, the city could experience 15-metre storm surges. “The result is peculiar to New York City,” says Emanuel. “Almost everywhere else, including Boston, we see an increase in surge heights and storminess.”
CNN reporter Jacqueline Howard highlights a new study by MIT researchers examining how children interpret an adult’s emotional response to a situation. "The results were surprising in the sense that we found infants were able to make fine-grained distinctions among positive emotions," explains graduate student Yang Wu.
Researchers from MIT’s Urban Risk Lab piloted a free online tool that crowdsources social media posts to map flood conditions during Hurricane Irma, writes Frankie Schembri for NOVA Next. “Residents often have the best information about the situation near them,” explains research scientist Tomas Holderness, “and we now have the network to be able to collect information.”
CBC News reporter Michael MacDonald spotlights the work of Prof. Sara Seager, who he calls a “certified rock star” in her field, describing everything from her interest in astronomy as a young child to her current search for exoplanets and alien life. McDonald writes that, “ultimately, her research could help answer some of the biggest questions facing humankind.”
Wired reporter Abigail Beall explores the science behind the successful detection of two colliding neutron stars. "It immediately appeared to us the source was likely to be neutron stars, the other coveted source we were hoping to see—and promising the world we would see," says MIT’s David Shoemaker, spokesperson for the LIGO Scientific Collaboration.
Boston Globe reporter Eric Moskowitz explores the significance of the first detection of two colliding neutron stars using gravitational wave detectors and telescopes. Moskowitz notes that the discovery offers, “so many immediate and long-term rewards that researchers struggled to pick their favorite part.” Senior Research Scientist Erik Katsavounidis explained that, “It’s like getting a kid in the candy store and telling them to choose.”
Boston Herald reporter Marie Szaniszlo writes about how the first successful detection of gravitational waves and light emitted from the collusion of two neutron stars has provided insight into gamma rays and heavy elements. Prof. Anna Frebel explains that, “What makes this such an important discovery is that we can actually see element formation in action.”
Channel 7’s Matt Rascon reports on how scientists from LIGO, Virgo and 70 observatories around the world have detected gravitational waves and light emitted from two colliding neutron stars. “For the first time we’re able to put it all together and get a much more complete picture of what nature is doing,” explains Prof. Nergis Mavalvala.
Bloomberg Businessweek reporter Arianne Cohen spotlights Prof. Andrew Lo’s research examining adaptive markets. Cohen explains that, “Lo’s hypothesis says people act in their own self-interest but frequently make mistakes, figure out where they’ve erred, and change their behaviors. The broader system also adapts.”
Washington Post reporters Ben Guarino and Sarah Kaplan delve into the first detection of a kilonova using both gravitational wave detectors and telescopes. “It's a monumental thing, a testimony to a lot of people working together,” explains David Shoemaker, a senior research scientist at MIT and spokesperson for the LIGO Scientific Collaboration.
Wall Street Journal reporter Robert Lee Hotz writes that scientists have detected colliding neutron stars and found that the smashups are the source of gold and other heavy elements found throughout the universe. “The neutrons can condense down into the heavy elements—gold, platinum and others—that make pretty jewelry so pretty,” explains MIT’s David Shoemaker.