Meet Lauryn Kortman: Juggling fusion magnets and LED batons
Rising MIT sophomore finds satisfaction designing for the laboratory and the playing field.
Study suggests animals think probabilistically to distinguish contexts
New statistical model may help scientists understand how animals infer whether surroundings are novel or haven’t changed enough to be a new context.
SMART research enhances dengue vaccination in mice
Sequential immunization might be safer and more effective than the existing tetravalent vaccine.
Nuh Gedik and Pablo Jarillo-Herrero are 2020 Moore Experimental Investigators in Quantum Materials
Funding will support using light to study quantum materials and on twistronics research to advance superconductivity and quantum technologies.
Key brain region was “recycled” as humans developed the ability to read
Part of the visual cortex dedicated to recognizing objects appears predisposed to identifying words and letters, a study finds.
Lava oceans may not explain the brightness of some hot super-Earths
By making their own lava and cooled glass, scientists find these materials likely aren’t responsible for the unexpected glow of some exoplanets.
Can a quantum strategy help bring down the house?
Study finds quantum entanglement could, in principle, give a slight advantage in the game of blackjack.
Q&A: Peter Fisher discusses JASON report on reopening university laboratories
MIT physicist led government-backed effort to study the challenges and solutions surrounding campus lab work.
Proteins — and labs — coming together to prevent Rett syndrome
Disruption of condensates in the neurodevelopmental disorder provides insights into how cells compartmentalize chromosomes, as well as new potential therapies.
3 Questions: Jonathan King on the future of nuclear weapons testing
Professor of biology discusses a scientist’s responsibility to speak out about important issues that affect our nation and the world.
Bringing RNA into genomics
ENCODE consortium identifies RNA sequences that are involved in regulating gene expression.
Study: A plunge in incoming sunlight may have triggered “Snowball Earths”
Findings also suggest exoplanets lying within habitable zones may be susceptible to ice ages.
Study sheds light on the evolution of the earliest dinosaurs
Geological evidence suggests the known dinosaur groups diverged early on, supporting the traditional dinosaur family tree.
With Perseverance and a little MOXIE, MIT is going to Mars
Led by MIT researchers, one of the experiments aboard the next mission to the Red Planet aims to generate oxygen from Martian air.
Ila Fiete studies how the brain performs complex computations
The MIT professor takes a mathematical approach to exploring memory, navigation, and other neural functions.