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.
Alan Whitney, MIT Haystack Observatory radio astronomer who pioneered very long baseline interferometry, dies at 81
Longtime research scientist who served as associate director and interim director helped guide Haystack to decades of influential leadership in the development and refinement of the VLBI technique.
Lincoln Laboratory and Haystack Observatory team up to unveil hidden parts of the galaxy
A proposed telescope made of thousands of tiny, identical satellites will work to reveal low-frequency radio waves in space.
3 Questions: How a new mission to Uranus could be just around the corner
PhD student Chloe Gentgen discusses why the ice giant is such a high-priority solar system target, and how the Starship launch vehicle may hasten our explorations there.
MIT joins in constructing the Giant Magellan Telescope
The major public-private partnership is expected to strengthen MIT research and US leadership in astronomy and engineering.
NASA selects Adam Fuhrmann ’11 for astronaut training
The AeroAstro alumnus, who participated in Air Force ROTC and the Gordon Engineering Leadership Program at MIT, is a test pilot and one of 10 new astronaut candidates selected from around the nation.
Could a primordial black hole’s last burst explain a mysteriously energetic neutrino?
If a new proposal by MIT physicists bears out, the recent detection of a record-setting neutrino could be the first evidence of elusive Hawking radiation.
DOE selects MIT to establish a Center for the Exascale Simulation of Coupled High-Enthalpy Fluid–Solid Interactions
The research center, sponsored by the DOE’s National Nuclear Security Administration, will advance the simulation of extreme environments, such as those in hypersonic flight and atmospheric reentry.
Study finds exoplanet TRAPPIST-1e is unlikely to have a Venus- or Mars-like atmosphere
Astronomers led by EAPS postdoc Ana Glidden ruled out several atmospheric scenarios for the planet, narrowing ideas of what habitability there might look like.
Professor Emeritus Rainer Weiss, influential physicist who forged new paths to understanding the universe, dies at 92
The longtime MIT professor shared a Nobel Prize for his role in developing the LIGO observatory and detecting gravitational waves.
Engineering fantasy into reality
PhD student Erik Ballesteros is building “Doc Ock” arms for future astronauts.
Astronomers detect the brightest fast radio burst of all time
The dazzling “RBFLOAT” radio burst, originating in a nearby galaxy, offers the clearest view yet of the environment around these mysterious flashes.
Planets without water could still produce certain liquids, a new study finds
Lab experiments show “ionic liquids” can form through common planetary processes and might be capable of supporting life even on waterless planets.
Astronomers discover star-shredding black holes hiding in dusty galaxies
Unlike active galaxies that constantly pull in surrounding material, these black holes lie dormant, waking briefly to feast on a passing star.
Supporting mission-driven space innovation, for Earth and beyond
Aurelia Institute, founded by a team from MIT, serves as a research lab, an education and outreach center, and a policy hub for the space industry.