Retracing the origins of a massive, multi-ring crater
Scientists reconstruct first hours after a giant impact created one of the largest craters on the moon.
3 Questions: Richard Binzel on what we've learned so far from New Horizons
Professor Richard Binzel, NASA New Horizons scientist, describes a year of discovery since the spacecraft's historic 2015 Pluto encounter.
Better views with smaller satellites
Batches of shoebox-sized satellites could improve estimates of Earth’s reflected energy.
Dead X-ray satellite reveals “quiet” center of massive galaxy cluster
Scientists find gas at center of Perseus cluster travels much more slowly than expected.
Scientists observe first signs of healing in the Antarctic ozone layer
September ozone hole has shrunk by 4 million square kilometers since 2000.
Researchers trace Mercury’s origins to rare meteorite
Experiments show planet cooled dramatically in half a billion years.
Ideas in orbit
From MIT to the moon, and on campus, senior Raichelle Aniceto builds new connections.
Bringing “the greatest show in the universe” to the people
MIT hosts national ScienceWriters2015 conference.
3 Questions: Lennon Rodgers on docking in space
System for locking satellites together, initially developed for master’s thesis, to get first space test.
MIT engineers hand “cognitive” control to underwater robots
With MIT-developed algorithms, robots plan underwater missions autonomously.
Electrospray thruster makes small satellites more capable
MIT spinout’s electric-propulsion system improves maneuverability of small satellites.
First-light images from NASA’s soil moisture satellite revealed
Professor of civil and environmental engineering Dara Entekhabi, science team leader of NASA's SMAP satellite, marvels at the project's first snapshot of Earth.
New technique allows analysis of clouds around exoplanets
Team describes use of method to determine properties of clouds surrounding the exoplanet Kepler-7b.
For the first time, spacecraft catch a solar shockwave in the act
Solar storm found to produce “ultrarelativistic, killer electrons” in 60 seconds.
Plasma shield
Researchers find that Earth’s “plasmaspheric hiss” protects against a harmful radiation belt.