Prof. Carlo Ratti speaks with The Boston Globe columnist Jason Schwartz about how a proposed seven-story office building behind Fenway Park could make the beloved Green Monster wall appear a bit less monstrous. “The wall has always felt monumental not just because of its size, but because it stood against an open sky,” says Ratti. “When the backdrop becomes a building, the view compresses, and the Monster might lose some of its presence.”
Writing for the Los Angeles Times, Prof. Carlo Ratti and CoMotion founder John Rossant explore the concept of a reimagined Los Angeles. “Dismissed as the nemesis of sustainable urbanism, L.A. can, in fact, be well-positioned for the next chapter,” they write. “Technologies like rooftop photovoltaics, vehicle-to-grid systems and AI-optimized resource flows do not depend on compactness. They benefit from space, sunlight and flexibility — qualities that Los Angeles has in abundance across its 1,600 square miles of urbanized area.”
Researchers at MIT have developed a “tissue-integrated, above-the-knee prosthesis that gives people more control over their movements,” reports Amber X. Chen for Smithsonian Magazine. “I want to be in the business of building bodies, not powerful devices,” says Prof. Hugh Herr. “I want to fully integrate humanity into electromechanics, not just build a better hammer.”
A study by researchers at MIT has found that “pedestrians are walking 15 percent faster and stopping to linger 14 percent less than they used to,” reports Rima Sabina Aouf for Dezeen. “Using computer vision and artificial intelligence to analyze videos of four public spaces across three American cities, the study found that walking speeds rose notably between 1980 and 2010, while instances of people lingering or interacting with others fell,” writes Aouf.
Researchers at MIT have found that “pedestrians in three major northeastern U.S. cities – Boston, New York and Philadelphia —are moving 15 percent faster than they did in 1980,” reports Lucy Notarantonio for Newsweek. Notarantonio explains that: “The researchers hope their work will inform how cities design and redesign public areas — especially at a time when digital polarization is reshaping how people connect in real life.”
Popular Science reporter Mack DeGeurin spotlights Foodres.Ai Printer, an AI-assisted 3D printer developed by MIT researchers that is “capable of converting food scraps into coasters, cups, and other everyday kitchen items.” The researchers hope their invention “can repurpose waste before it reaches trash cans or compost bins, helping to foster ‘hyper-local circular economies.’”
Interesting Engineering reporter Saoirse Kerrigan spotlights a number of MIT research projects from the past decade. MIT has “long been a hub of innovation and ingenuity across multiple industries and disciplines,” writes Kerrigan. “Every year, the school’s best and brightest debut projects that push the boundaries of science and technology. From vehicles and furniture to exciting new breakthroughs in electricity generation, the school’s projects have tackled an impressive variety of subjects.”
Chronicle spotlights Miguel Rosales SM '87 and his work developing over 12 bridges in Boston, including the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge. “Boston is my city,” says Rosales. “I’ve been here over 40 years. How these bridges have changed so many parts of the city… that is very important in my life.”
MIT researchers have developed a bionic knee that “allows amputees to walk faster, climb stairs more easily, and adroitly avoid obstacles,” reports Dennis Thompson for HealthDay. “The new prothesis is directly integrated with the person’s muscle and bone tissue, enabling greater stability and providing more control over its movement,” Thompson explains.
Researchers at MIT have developed a bionic knee that can “integrate with a patient’s bones and nervous system, allowing users to control the prosthesis with their mind,” reports Angela Mathew for The Boston Globe. “In conventional prosthesis, there’s an energy exchange, but there’s not much of an information exchange with the brain,” explains Prof. Hugh Herr. “Because the prosthesis is so intimately connected to the skeleton, if you just tap the toe in a really modest way, the person can feel it exquisitely.”
Prof. Anantha Chandrakasan speaks with The Boston Globe reporter Jon Chesto about his new role as provost and his goals for the Institute. “To be in the administration, you have to understand the perspectives of the individual faculty members, the students, and the post-docs,” he said. “I want to be in the trenches, not separated from the pack.”
Following his appointment as Institute provost, Prof. Anantha Chandrakasan has been honored at a celebratory event by the Foundation of Indian Americans of New England and the Indian Consulate of New York, reports News India. “As Provost, I am committed to advancing excellence in research, innovation, and education,” says Chandrakasan.
Prof. Anantha Chandrakasan was honored by the Indian American community in New England and the Consulate General of India in New York as he enters his new role as MIT provost, reports Abhinav Sharma for Diya TV. “I am deeply grateful for this honor,” says Chandrakasan. “The support from this community has played an integral role in my journey. As Provost, I am committed to advancing excellence in research, innovation, and education. Together, we will shape a future defined by meaningful progress and global impact.”
Researchers at MIT have developed “a new imaging technique that could allow quality control robots in warehouses to peer into closed boxes,” reports Chris Young for Interesting Engineering. “Using this new technology, robots could peer into a cardboard shipping box and see that the handle of a mug is broken, for example,” explains Young. “This new method could revolutionize warehouse quality control and streamline the shipping and delivery process.”
Writing for Bloomberg, Prof. Carlo Ratti, curator of the 2025 Venice Biennale, describes his vision for the exhibition and explains how this year’s theme of adaptation connects to the future of architecture. “The planet has changed, and institutions must change too, especially those devoted to the built environment,” explains Ratti. “A biennale can become a tool for exploration, for collaboration, for reckoning. This doesn’t mean giving up on spectacle or beauty. But it does mean rethinking what we celebrate.”