A new study from MIT reveals Egypt will import more virtual water than the Nile can provide if current trends continue, threatening the country's water security. The research proposes shifting production to lower-water crops and improving irrigation methods to sustainably manage resources.
Researchers found that gene sweeps can sweep through populations on their own, similar to sexual eukaryotes. This suggests a unified method of evolution for prokaryotes and eukaryotes, challenging traditional views of species classification.
Researchers discovered that certain ocean bacteria are tricked into using their own machinery to activate genes carried by viruses. The viruses inject DNA into stressed bacteria, which then support the virus' replication cycle. This co-evolutionary relationship reveals a sophisticated mechanism of gene regulation and exploitation.
Researchers at MIT have created an analogy between the physical structure of spider silk and the sonic structure of a melody, showing that the structure of each relates to its function in an equivalent way. The study reveals that structural patterns are directly related to functional properties such as lightweight strength and sonic te...
A new study demonstrates that even a simple microbe can achieve sophisticated sensory adaptation, allowing its behavior to remain consistent in ever-changing background conditions. Researchers found that E. coli responds to relative changes in sensory inputs rather than absolute concentrations.
A new type of sensor, called 'sensing skin,' can monitor the health of concrete infrastructure continually and inexpensively. The sensor detects cracks by measuring changes in capacitance, allowing for precise location detection within 24 hours.
Engineers at MIT validate the scratch test as a simple method to assess a material's fracture properties. By analyzing the force and dimensions of scratches, researchers can determine a material's toughness, making it a valuable tool for understanding how materials break.
A team of researchers at MIT has discovered a simple yet efficient method to mix fluids in small or confined spaces using viscosity contrast. By injecting a thin fluid into a thicker one, the two liquids can be mixed uniformly quickly, overcoming challenges in microfluidics technology and lab-on-a-chip applications.
A team of scientists at MIT has deciphered 3 billion-year-old genomic fossils using modern-day genomes. The study reveals that the collective genome of all life underwent an expansion between 3.3 and 2.8 billion years ago, resulting in 27% new gene families.
Researchers found that cats, regardless of size, use a delicate balance between gravity and inertia to lap milk efficiently. The cat's tongue moves in a subtle motion, creating a column of liquid that is then pinched off by the cat's chin.
Researchers pinpoint the origin of dissolved arsenic in Bangladesh's drinking water to ponds excavated for village construction and irrigated agriculture. The study suggests that these ponds mobilize organic carbon, leading to arsenic dissolution in groundwater, with rice fields acting as a buffer but also contributing to arsenic levels.
Researchers at MIT have cracked the code of cement's molecular structure, finding it to be a hybrid with characteristics of both crystalline and amorphous structures. This discovery could lead to the development of more durable and environmentally friendly concrete.
Scientists believe methane trapped under ocean may be escaping faster than previously thought through sea floor vents. The release could have significant implications for understanding the Earth's carbon cycle and global warming.
Researchers at MIT developed a new thermal material that naturally dissipates heat from devices using a hierarchical branched network similar to cell protein networks. This design effectively prevents device failure and melting, enabling the creation of reliable nanodevices.
Scientists at MIT and Brown University developed a microfluidic device to separate right-handed from left-handed bacteria, which can lead to safer pharmaceuticals. The discovery could also impact industries like agriculture and food production.
MIT researchers discovered a simple arrangement of proteins produces sturdiest product with great strength and robustness. The optimal composition includes two repeated hierarchies of alpha-helical proteins, providing the basis for optimal material performance.
Researchers at MIT have found an elegant solution to the mystery of gravity fingers, explaining how water forms finger-like paths as it flows through soil. The solution, which involves incorporating surface tension into mathematical models, has wide-ranging implications for science and engineering applications.
Airport planners must adapt to low-cost airlines' requirements for smaller, cheaper terminals with flexible designs. Smaller airports have fewer ground and air traffic control delays than large ones.
A new method by MIT researchers distinguishes between large groups of microbes based on their ecological niches. By analyzing genetic data and habitat preferences, scientists can now classify microbes with greater accuracy.
A NASA satellite mission led by MIT Professor Dara Entekhabi will provide global soil moisture data, essential for accurate weather forecasts and understanding the global carbon cycle. The Soil Moisture Active-Passive mission (SMAP) aims to create a new perspective on how water, energy, and carbon cycles work together.
Scientists at MIT have developed a mathematical approach to analyze protein patterns across species to identify natural selection in microbial evolution. By analyzing the 'selective signature' of genes, researchers can infer gene function and understand ecological shifts.
Researchers at MIT demonstrated that marine bacteria, specifically P. haloplanktis, use their rapid swimming abilities to locate and exploit tiny nutrient patches in the ocean. This behavior has global implications for the oceans' health during climate change and could impact the carbon cycle.
The strength of spider silk lies in the specific geometric configuration of structural proteins, which have small clusters of weak hydrogen bonds that work cooperatively to resist force and dissipate energy. This structure makes spider silk as strong as steel, despite weaker hydrogen bonds.
Research at MIT suggests that aquatic plants in rivers can help dampen storm surge, lower nutrient levels, and promote sediment accumulation. By understanding how water flows through plant canopies, ecologists can determine the optimal vegetation patch length and planting density for river restoration.
A team of researchers has explained the discrepancy between computer simulations and experimental observations of protein behavior under mechanical stress. At slower speeds, hydrogen bonds in proteins behave differently, breaking three at a time when pressure is applied slowly.
Scientists recorded entire genomic expression of a host bacterium and infecting virus over eight-hour infection course. The study suggests viral infection may play role in shaping bacterial genetic repertoire, leading to evolutionarily significant exchange.
New research from MIT reveals a unified explanation for bone's toughness, incorporating several previously proposed theories. The study finds that bone's atomistic structure plays a crucial role in a toughening mechanism that allows it to tolerate small cracks and maintain its strength.