This is your brain without sleep
New research shows attention lapses due to sleep deprivation coincide with a flushing of fluid from the brain — a process that normally occurs during sleep.
New method could improve manufacturing of gene-therapy drugs
Selective crystallization can greatly improve the purity, selectivity, and active yield of viral vector-based gene therapy drugs, MIT study finds.
Designing better, longer-lasting medicines
Adding amino acids to certain protein-based medications can improve stability and effectiveness. New MIT research demonstrates how it works.
Astronomical data collection of Taurus Molecular Cloud-1 reveals over 100 different molecules
The discovery will help researchers understand how chemicals form and change before stars and planets are born.
The brain power behind sustainable AI
PhD student Miranda Schwacke explores how computing inspired by the human brain can fuel energy-efficient artificial intelligence.
With a new molecule-based method, physicists peer inside an atom’s nucleus
An alternative to massive particle colliders, the approach could reveal insights into the universe’s starting ingredients.
A “seating chart” for atoms helps locate their positions in materials
The DIGIT imaging tool could enable the design of quantum devices and shed light on atomic-scale processes in cells and tissues.
Charts can be social artifacts that communicate more than just data
Researchers find that design elements of data visualizations influence viewers’ assumptions about the source of the information and its trustworthiness.
Neural activity helps circuit connections mature into optimal signal transmitters
Scientists identified how circuit connections in fruit flies tune to the right size and degree of signal transmission capability. Understanding this could lead to a way to tweak abnormal signal transmission in certain disorders.
Creating AI that matters
How the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab is shaping AI-sociotechnical systems for the future.
MIT Global Seed Funds catalyze research in over 20 countries
Launched in 2008, the program has expanded exponentially and spent $30 million on high-impact research.
New software designs eco-friendly clothing that can reassemble into new items
To reduce waste, the Refashion program helps users create outlines for adaptable clothing, such as pants that can be reconfigured into a dress. Each component of these pieces can be replaced, rearranged, or restyled.
In a surprising discovery, scientists find tiny loops in the genomes of dividing cells
Enabled by a new high-resolution mapping technique, the findings overturn a long-held belief that the genome loses its 3D structure when cells divide.
Method teaches generative AI models to locate personalized objects
After being trained with this technique, vision-language models can better identify a unique item in a new scene.
Darcy McRose and Mehtaab Sawhney ’20, PhD ’24 named 2025 Packard Fellows for Science and Engineering
McRose, an environmental microbiologist, is recognized for researching the ecological roles of antibiotics in shaping ecosystems, agriculture, and health.