A new study demonstrates a machine-learning approach that can learn to control a fleet of autonomous vehicles as they approach and travel through a signalized intersection. The technique reduces fuel consumption and emissions while improving average vehicle speed, with benefits seen even when only 25% of cars use the control algorithm.
A team of astronomers, including those from MIT's Haystack Observatory, has captured the light around our own supermassive black hole, revealing for the first time an image of Sagitarrius A*, the black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. The resulting image reveals SgrA* in a glowing, donut-shaped ring of light.
Researchers have developed a glucose fuel cell that converts glucose into electricity, generating 43 microwatts per square centimeter. The device is resilient, able to withstand temperatures up to 600 degrees Celsius, making it suitable for medical implants.
Researchers identified a key brain circuit in the anterior thalamus that helps us hold information in mind. In a study of mice, enhancing this circuit's activity improved their ability to navigate a maze and reversed memory loss with artificial stimulation.
A field experiment in Bangladesh shows that the poor lack opportunities to gain wealth, but a one-time boost can make a major difference. The study suggests that poverty is not principally due to people's capabilities or attitudes, but rather an initial lack of resources prevents them from improving their circumstances.
Researchers at MIT discovered that cells shed 4% of their mass before cell division to eliminate toxic components. This process allows newborn cells to start with fresh, functional contents, which may help explain why neurons accumulate toxic proteins in Alzheimer's disease.
A study by MIT economists finds that immigrants are 80% more likely to found a firm than native-born citizens. Immigrant-founded firms also have 1% more employees on average, contributing to a net gain in job availability. This challenges the common perception that immigrants fill jobs taken by U.S.-born workers.
MIT researchers develop ExSum, a framework to formalize explanations of machine-learning models into quantifiable rules. This allows for testing assumptions about model behavior and reveals unexpected insights, such as negative words having sharper contributions to model decisions.
Researchers have identified the rarest type of black widow binary yet, featuring a pulsar and a third star that orbits every 10,000 years. The system, ZTF J1406+1222, has the shortest orbital period ever recorded, with the pulsar and companion star circling each other in just 62 minutes.
Researchers find that black holes go through a 'hard' and 'soft' state during outbursts, with the final flash possibly indicating a brief expansion of the corona. The findings help scientists understand how supermassive black holes shape galaxy formation.
Researchers developed a portable desalination unit weighing less than 10kg that removes particles and salts to generate clean drinking water. The device uses ion concentration polarization and electrodialysis processes, requiring minimal energy and maintenance.
Researchers at MIT developed an AI method that constrains machine-learning models to suggest molecules with producible chemical structures. The approach guarantees quality and speed, outperforming existing methods in proposing high-quality molecular structures.
Researchers at MIT and University of Waterloo propose stimulating the Unruh effect to increase its probability of detection, potentially shaving wait time from billions of years to just a few hours. The new approach, known as acceleration-induced transparency, enhances the Unruh effect while suppressing competing effects.
Researchers at MIT have created a paper-thin loudspeaker that produces sound with minimal distortion while using a fraction of the energy required by traditional loudspeakers. The device, which is as thin as a dime and weighs about the same, can generate high-quality sound on any surface it is bonded to.
Researchers developed a machine-learning method that allows robots to pick up and place never-before-seen objects in random poses, requiring only 10 human demonstrations. The system uses a neural network specifically designed to reconstruct 3D shapes, enabling the robot to generalize to new object orientations.
MIT researchers devise a chemical reaction that allows them to synthesize phosphorus-containing rings using a novel spring-loaded molecule. This method enables the creation of useful compounds with potential applications in catalysts and pharmaceuticals.
Researchers subject Oreos to various tests, finding that the cream almost always separates onto one wafer, regardless of flavor or amount of filling. The team's study provides insights into the properties of yield stress fluids and offers a new approach to understanding non-Newtonian materials.
A new machine learning-based system developed by MIT and Stanford researchers enables the rapid development of optimized production methods for perovskite-based solar cells. The system has already led to the manufacturing of cells with an energy conversion efficiency of 18.5 percent, a competitive level for today’s market.
A new study from MIT suggests that genome loops, which were believed to play a crucial role in controlling gene expression, are actually short-lived and fleeting. The researchers found that these loops only exist for about 3-6% of the time and last for only 10-30 minutes.
A new robotic system allows surgeons to remotely treat patients experiencing a stroke or aneurysm, providing teleoperated endovascular treatment during the critical golden hour. With just one hour of training, neurosurgeons can successfully operate the system to guide a wire through complex vessels and reach difficult-to-reach areas.
Researchers at MIT and NREL have designed a thermophotovoltaic cell that converts heat to electricity with over 40% efficiency, surpassing traditional steam turbines. The new design could enable a fully decarbonized power grid by storing excess energy from renewable sources.
Researchers developed a new way to help protect the natural flora of the human digestive tract by engineering bacteria to break down beta-lactam antibiotics. This approach protects the microbiota in the gut while allowing antibiotics to remain effective, reducing the risk of infection and antibiotic resistance.
MIT biological engineers have developed a new technique that allows them to precisely identify interactions between immune cells and their target antigens. This tool, which uses engineered viruses, enables large-scale screens of such interactions and could accelerate the development of more effective vaccines and immunotherapies.
Researchers analyzed breast milk samples from 15 nursing mothers to track gene expression changes in mammary gland cells. The study identified various changes linked to factors such as hormone levels, illness, and lifestyle changes.
Researchers have developed a new method called Shared Interest that enables users to aggregate, sort, and rank individual explanations of a machine-learning model's reasoning. This technique uses quantifiable metrics to compare how well the model's reasoning matches human thinking, helping to uncover concerning trends in decision-making.
Researchers at MIT developed a framework for robotic manipulation systems that can perform complex tasks using a two-stage learning process. This allows robots to learn abstract ideas about manipulating deformable objects, such as pizza dough, and execute skills to complete tasks.
Researchers at MIT created a process called DualFair that can remove bias from data used to train machine-learning models. The method tackles both label bias and selection bias, significantly reducing discrimination in loan predictions while maintaining high accuracy.
Researchers discovered a group of neurons in the striatum that encodes information about potential decision-making outcomes, including rewards and penalties. These 'error signals' help the brain adapt to changing circumstances and make impulsive decisions or become paralyzed with indecision.
Researchers have created the Thesan simulation, a cubic volume spanning 300 million light years across, to study cosmic reionization and galaxy formation. The simulation aligns with observations and sheds light on key processes, such as how far light can travel in the early universe.
A new study by MIT scholars confirms that physical proximity plays a crucial role in workplace collaboration. The study found that email exchanges occur more often among researchers whose workspaces are connected through indoor halls rather than outdoor paths.
Researchers have developed a new type of membrane material that can significantly improve the efficiency of gas separation processes. The membranes, based on hydrocarbon ladder polymers, offer both high permeability and selectivity, making them outperform other polymer materials in many gas separations.
A new device made from silicone and liquid metal, with knotted cords, measures pressure in the digestive tract similar to high-resolution manometry. The invention brings down cost and makes it easier to produce and deploy, offering a cheaper alternative for diagnosing dysmotility disorders.
Researchers found that opening stadiums to fans with safety protocols in place did not lead to an increase in local Covid case counts. The study used synthetic control method to analyze data from 16 stadiums, which mirrored the trajectory of surrounding counties without stadiums.
Researchers at MIT have developed a way to create lightweight fibers out of petroleum residue, offering advantages over traditional carbon fiber materials. The new process uses heavy waste material left over from refining, reducing production costs and enabling the creation of load-bearing applications.
A new study by MIT researchers analyzed hundreds of millions of social media posts to measure the emotional toll of the pandemic. The study found that the pandemic caused a huge drop in positive public sentiment, with a subsequent slow return to pre-pandemic levels. Countries most affected included Australia, Spain, and the UK.
Researchers have found direct evidence of strong electron correlation in ABC trilayer graphene, a two-dimensional material that can switch between metal, insulator, and superconductor states. The discovery provides insight into the underlying physics driving these switchable materials.
A new COVID-19 vaccine developed at MIT and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center has shown promise in preclinical studies, eliciting a strong immune response and protecting animals against viral challenge. The vaccine can be manufactured using engineered yeast, making it an attractive option for low-cost and easy storage.
A new fabric developed by MIT engineers can detect subtle heartbeat features and the direction of sudden sounds, enabling real-time monitoring of vital signs. The fabric works like a microphone, converting sound vibrations into electrical signals.
Three exoplanets mistakenly identified as planets are actually small stars, according to a new MIT study. The discovery was made using updated measurements of planet-hosting stars from the European Space Agency's Gaia mission.
Scientists propose a new mechanism by which oxygen accumulated in the atmosphere, shifting the planet out of its low-oxygen equilibrium. Interactions between certain marine microbes and minerals in ocean sediments may have prevented oxygen consumption, setting off a self-amplifying process.
Researchers at MIT have developed a new system that can automatically clean solar panels without using water, reducing dust accumulation's impact on efficiency. The system uses electrostatic repulsion to detach dust particles, improving overall power output and potentially saving $200,000 in annual revenue.
A new study by MIT researchers reveals that glacier ice flow is more sensitive to stress than previously calculated, with revised estimates potentially refining predictions of sea level rise. The improved model could help glaciologists better understand the impact of Antarctic ice flow on future sea levels.
A new MIT study found that lawyers' frequent use of long definitions in sentences makes legal texts difficult for non-lawyers to understand. Center-embedding, a common feature of legal writing, was the biggest contributor to comprehension difficulty. The researchers suggest reducing center-embedding and simplifying jargon to improve ac...
MIT engineers mapped airplane contrails over the US in 2020 and found a 20% drop in coverage compared to prepandemic years. The team's computer-vision technique can help predict where contrails form, allowing airlines to reroute planes and reduce aviation's climate impact.
A new MRI probe can monitor individual populations of neurons and reveal how they interact with each other. The technique uses genetically targeted probes to detect neural activity and provide a more precise picture of brain function.
Researchers at MIT and Harvard University applied cognitive science theories to human-robot interaction, finding that humans need to see variation in robot behavior to build accurate mental models. Theories suggest that strategic variation can reveal concepts that might be difficult for a person to discern otherwise.
Adversarially robust models capture aspects of human peripheral processing, with results showing similarity in image transformations and perception alignment. The study's findings shed light on the goals of peripheral processing in humans and could help improve machine learning models.
Researchers found a chemical link between wildfire smoke and ozone depletion, which may stall ozone recovery for years. The study discovered that the smoke from Australian wildfires in 2019-2020 depleted ozone by 1%, highlighting the potential impact of future, more frequent fires.
Researchers at MIT have developed a new, inexpensive catalyst material that can produce oxygen from water, potentially replacing rare metals and reducing the cost of producing carbon-neutral fuels. The material, made of abundant components, allows for precise tuning and matches or exceeds the performance of conventional catalysts.
Researchers developed a machine-learning technique that can pinpoint anomalies in large datasets, such as power grid failures and traffic bottlenecks. The model uses advanced probability distributions to identify low-density values, allowing for faster and more accurate anomaly detection.