Using sound waves to detect rare cancer cells
Acoustic device can rapidly isolate circulating tumor cells from patient blood samples.
Better sensors for medical imaging, contraband detection
Magnetic-field detector is 1,000 times more efficient than its predecessors.
President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger visits MIT biophysics lab
African leader tours the lab of Ibrahim Cissé, an assistant professor of physics.
From the heart
Laurie Boyer’s studies of stem cell differentiation could improve treatments for heart disease.
New evidence for how a rare form of liver cancer arises
MIT team finds mechanism by which exposure to vinyl chloride may produce cancerous mutations.
Engineering undergraduates characterize sulfur emissions from Hawaiian volcano
Kilauea volcanic smog study may lead to better understanding of effects on human health, infrastructure, and environment.
Diagnosis by keyboard
By revealing loss of motor skills, typing patterns may help to identify early onset of Parkinson’s.
Study on MOOCs provides new insights on an evolving space
Findings suggest many teachers enroll, learner intentions matter, and cost boosts completion rates.
Better traffic signals can cut greenhouse gas emissions
Analysis shows that smarter programming of stoplights could improve efficiency of urban traffic.
The rapid rise of human language
New paper suggests people quickly started speaking in a now-familiar form.
Reviewing online homework at scale
System clusters similar student programs together, so instructors can identify broad trends.
Crowdsourced tool for depression
Peer-to-peer application outperforms conventional self-help technique for easing depression, anxiety.
Analysis sees many promising pathways for solar photovoltaic power
New study identifies the promise and challenges facing large-scale deployment of solar photovoltaics.