Technology and society

Left to right: Ashley Morishige, Tonio Buonassisi, and Mallory Jensen of the MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering have identified defects that may be causing a promising type of high-efficiency silicon solar cell to generate decreasing amounts of electricity in sunlight and have made recommendations to manufacturers that may help prevent the problem. Here, the researchers display a silicon bri...

Advanced silicon solar cells

MIT mechanical engineers are leading an effort to detect defects that reduce efficiency.

February 17, 2017

"In theater, we imagine the impossible and try to make that possible," says Charlotte Brathwaite, an MIT assistant professor of theater arts, and an independent director of classical and unconventional texts, operas, dance, multimedia and site-specific installations, and concerts. "We not only imagine, but create the world as we think the world should be."

The world as we think the world should be

Assistant Professor Charlotte Brathwaite believes theater brings people together in a positive way.

February 17, 2017

"Aerocene, 2016" is displayed at the 2017 World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

"Aerocene" soars at the 47th World Economic Forum

Climate-conscious sculptures influence world perspectives in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland.

February 9, 2017

In an effort to get ahead of the problem of counterfeit wireless chargers, MIT researchers have built a chip that blocks attempts to wirelessly charge a device’s battery unless the charger first provides cryptographic authentication.

Secure wireless chargers

New chip would thwart the counterfeiting that plagues the market for wired device chargers.

February 9, 2017

Artist Leo Villareal's "Light Matrix" LED installation at MIT's newly renovated Building E52, the Morris and Sophie Chang Building

Featured video: The light fantastic in Building E52

Leo Villareal's "hypnotic" LED art installation welcomes visitors to the newly renovated Morris and Sophie Chang Building.

February 3, 2017

Traffic backs up amid construction at the Cuatro Caminos metro station in Mexico City.

Transit-oriented development for Mexico City

DUSP practicum proposes new approaches to mobility and housing in urban neighborhoods.

February 2, 2017

MIT Media Lab spinout Changing Environments is the brains behind the solar-powered Soofa Bench, which is equipped with an embedded charging station for mobile devices that also connects to wireless networks. Recently, the startup released the solar-powered Soofa Sign, which displays public transit times, weather, and events, among other city information.

Smart city fixtures

Startup brings solar-powered, phone-charging park benches and digital signs to cities worldwide.

January 27, 2017

Seymour Papert (left) chats with LEGO Group owner Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen in 1998 when the Denmark-based company launched LEGO Mindstorms.

LEGO Foundation endows Media Lab fellowships in honor of Seymour Papert

New graduate student fellowship program announced at Media Lab event celebrating the life and work of Seymour Papert.

January 26, 2017

Professor Daniela Rus stands with autonomous SMART vehicles on the MIT campus.

SMART automation

MIT Professor Daniela Rus combines automation and mobility to create a smarter world.

January 19, 2017

An MIT-led study finds that technological advances alone will not bring about dematerialization, or the reduction of the amount of materials needed to produce goods and services.

Study: Technological progress alone won’t stem resource use

Researchers find no evidence of an overall reduction in the world’s consumption of materials.

January 19, 2017

“The whole goal of my life is to fix all the people problems. I sincerely think that the biggest problems we have are how we deal with each other, and how we treat each other. [We need to be] promoting empathy and understanding, and technology is an enormous power to influence that in a good way,” senior Garrett Parrish says.

Creating “big, beautiful things”

Senior Garrett Parrish combines art and technology, with dramatic effects.

January 13, 2017

An MIT student participates in the Institute's Independent Activities Period (IAP)

Featured video: Diving into IAP

A look at MIT's Independent Activities Period (IAP), a four-week term in January during which community members get creative.

January 12, 2017

Timothy Hyde, architectural historian and associate professor in the History, Theory, and Criticism (HTC) section of the MIT Department of Architecture.

House rules

Research shows how rebuilding Britain’s Houses of Parliament in the 1800s helped create clean-air laws.

January 12, 2017

Solve launches new challenges on climate, education, and health care

MIT’s open innovation platform for tackling global problems seeks solutions from near and far.

January 4, 2017

MIT engineers have studied a simple vehicle-platooning scenario and determined the best ways to deploy vehicles in order to save fuel and minimize delays.

Driverless platoons

Analysis finds autonomous trucks that drive in packs could save time and fuel.

December 20, 2016

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